By Alan Carasso
Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), the full-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) and €2.1-million topper at the 2022 Arqana August Sale, will make his much-anticipated career debut in an 1800-metre newcomers' event Saturday afternoon at Tokyo Racecourse. Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux, the chestnut carries the colours of prominent and big-spending owner Susumu Fujita and is under the care of trainer Yoshito Yahagi. Takeshi Yokoyama will be in the saddle.
An Apr. 30 foal, Shin Emperor is related to six winners from as many to race from Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose produce includes the American champion turf female and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), who was a Group 3 winner in France and second in the 2017 G1 Prix de Diane; as well as My Sister Nat (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), also a winner at Group 3 level in France before annexing a pair of Grade III races in the U.S. while finishing runner-up in the 2021 Filly & Mare Turf, ironically behind the Yahagi-conditioned Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
“I will take him to Japan and I hope he will win the Japanese Derby, then I hope to bring him back to France later,” Yahagi told TDN's Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin following his purchase.
Sistercharlie and My Sister Nat each raced for Peter Brant in the States, and it was on behalf of the art connoisseur's White Birch Farm that Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock paid €340,000 for Sottsass (Fr) at Arqana August in 2017. Turned over to Jean-Claude Rouget, Sottsass won his maiden at second asking as a juvenile and blossomed at three, with his major victory in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, before closing the season with a gallant third behind Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and three-peat seeking Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in that year's Arc. His second elite-level success was achieved in the G1 Prix Ganay in June 2020 and he proved a nails-tough winner of the Arc that October, defying testing underfoot conditions to score by a neck.
Sottsass's first yearlings were well-received at Arqana this summer, including a colt that was purchased by top Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida for €525,000.
【２歳馬写真Check🐎】
シンエンペラー 牡（父Siyouni・母Starlet's Sister）ゼッケン556、仏・Ecurie Des Monceaux生産＝栗毛#新馬戦 #矢作厩舎#２歳馬通信 pic.twitter.com/ouYvcAOkzs
— 競馬エイト栗東班【２歳馬通信🏇】 (@2saiba_keiba8) November 1, 2023
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