Stunning Rose (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) rediscovered the winning touch with an impressive success in the hands of Cristian Demuro in Sunday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto Racecourse, her first win of any description since tasting Classic glory in the G1 Shuka Sho back in October 2022.
The Tomokazu Takano trainee was one of two runners for owners Sunday Racing, with the other, Regaleira (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}), dominating the betting in her search for a second Group 1 victory after last year's Hopeful Stakes. She was the only three-year-old in the field, with older rivals Wholeness (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), the winner of the Listed Niigata Himba Stakes on her most recent start, and Stunning Rose, last seen finishing sixth in the G3 Hokkaido Shimbun Hai Queen Stakes, heading the opposition.
The 17 runners broke in front of the stands with Conch Shell (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) taking the early lead as recent G3 Niigata Kinen winner Shinryokuka (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}) settled among those following in close pursuit. A bit keen in the backstretch, Stunning Rose chased the leaders in fourth, before making swift headway to challenge the tiring Conch Shell on the home turn. From there she powered away to pass the post two lengths clear of one of the outsiders in Ravel (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), with Wholeness and Shinryokuka completing the frame ahead of Regaleira, who could manage only fifth after meeting trouble in the straight. The final time of 2:11.10 was a stakes record.
“I'm very happy to have won a Group 1 race, which I wanted to achieve here in Japan, especially after finishing second a few times,” said French-based jockey Demuro, who is riding in Japan under a short-term license. “Today after the start, I chose to go behind the leader and the mare just showed a special turn of foot.”
It was certainly a return to form for Stunning Rose, who won the G3 Flower Cup and G3 Shion Stakes as a three-year-old, as well as filling the runner-up spot behind Stars On Earth (Jpn) (Duremente {Jpn}) in the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks). Sidelined by injury after finishing twelfth in last year's G1 Victoria Mile, she made her comeback when eighth in March's G1 Osaka Hai, before contesting the latest edition of the Victoria Mile, in which she was ninth, and the Queen Stakes.
Pedigree Notes
Stunning Rose is one of seven winners from eight runners out of the winning Kurofune mare Rosa Blanca (Jpn) who, in turn, is out of the Listed scorer Rosebud (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), a full-sister to the G2 Kinko Sho winner Rosenkreuz (Jpn) and a half to the Listed-placed Rose Prestige (Jpn) (Dance In The Dark {Jpn}). Rosebud is the dam of eight winners, headed by the G1 Japan Cup hero and sire Rose Kingdom (Jpn) by King Kamehameha (Jpn). Stunning Rose's third dam, Rose Colour (Jpn) (Shirley Heights {GB}), also won a Listed race and is a half-sister to a pair of Listed-winning sires, Rosado (Jpn) and Vita Rosa (Jpn), both by Sunday Silence.
【Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1), 2200m, Kyoto, JRA】
Winner: Stunning Rose
English Race Call Video (Full)https://t.co/s8T2BjnGJP
Resulthttps://t.co/6bCZmweGAO#JRA #horseracing #QueenElizabethIICup #StunningRose pic.twitter.com/8O3dnWlvxQ— HorseRacingInJapan (@HorseRacing_JPN) November 10, 2024
Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
QUEEN ELIZABETH II CUP-G1, ¥253,220,000, Kyoto, 11-10, 3yo/up, f, 2200mT, 2:11.10, fm.
1–STUNNING ROSE (JPN), 123, m, 5, by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
1st Dam: Rosa Blanca (Jpn), by Kurofune
2nd Dam: Rosebud (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
3rd Dam: Rose Colour (Jpn), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Tomokazu Takano; J-Cristian Demuro; ¥133,654,000. Lifetime Record: 17-6-2-1, ¥426,216,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ravel (Jpn), 123, f, 4, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Sambre et Meuse (Jpn), by Daiwa Major (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥53,044,000.
3–Wholeness (Ire), 123, f, 4, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Missunited (Ire), by Golan (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (200,000gns Wlg '20 TATNOV). O-Godolphin; B-Mrs V.B. Hutch & Lope de Vega Synd (Ire); ¥33,520,000.
Margins: 2, 3/4, NK. Odds: 8.50, 40.20, 7.70.
Also Ran: Shinryokuka (Jpn), Regaleira (Jpn), Lilac (Jpn), Saliera (Jpn), Gold Eclipse (Jpn), Costa Bonita (Jpn), Scintillation (Jpn), Kiminonawa Maria (Jpn), Erika Vita (Jpn), Rouge Lignage (Jpn), Moryana (Jpn), Peace of the Life (Jpn), Conch Shell (Jpn), Harper (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.
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