Deep Impact (Jpn)

Unlucky on debut when second at The Curragh at the start of last month, Ballydoyle's Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}--Rhododendron {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) put that experience behind him to earn TDN Rising Star status at Naas on Saturday. Sent off the 30-100 favourite for the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, the bay was swiftly into stride to race on the front end throughout the early stages. Shaken up by Seamus Heffernan to gain an outright advantage passing the two pole, he ran green in the clear but...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a son of Group 1 winner Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 4.18 Naas, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, 7fT AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Ballydoyle's exciting son of the triple Group 1 winner Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was a possibly unlucky runner-up at the Curragh at the...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features the return of a son of Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 13.40 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, c/g, 7fT Coolmore and Westerberg's once-raced AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a son of MG1SW distaffer Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), got caught in traffic and shaped with promise when second...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a full-brother to Classic winner Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). 15.05 Leopardstown, Mdn, €13,500, 3yo, c/g, 10fT Coolmore and Westerberg's NEWFOUNDLAND (IRE) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Irish Derby entry, is a son of G3 Give Thanks S. victrix Best In The...

Of the eight races for Thoroughbreds on the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup night, five of them went to horses owned, bred, and trained in Japan. Granted, $5-million G1 Dubai Turf winner Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) had to share his victory with His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Racing's now-dual Turf hero Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), but that is cold comfort to other countries, who struggled to get near the winner's circle. The night started out in much the same fashion as the Saudi Cup card in Saudi Arabia...

Killer Ability (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) showed plenty of talent to take the G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama on Tuesday. The 2000-metre affair featured 15 colts in the final Japan Racing Association Group 1 of 2021. It was an exacta for the deceased Shadai kingpin Deep Impact, as Justin Palace (Jpn) was 1 1/2 lengths behind. Second choice at 2-1, the blinkered colt rated in an ideal position perched in third while saving ground against the rails as Grand Line (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) carved out even splits of :23.90, :48.10...

Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}-Rhodochrosite, by Unbridled's Song) will stand for ¥12,000,000 (£79,790/€93,636/$106,518) at Shadai Stallion Station in 2022. The price is equal to another son of Deep Impact at the Hokkaido nursery, Kizuna (Jpn), who already has a Group 1 winner to his name among his 16 black-type winners with his eldest foals just four. The North Hills-bred 4-year-old was named the 2019  Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and 2020 Champion 3-Year-Old Colt in his native land with seven straight victories before running second to Japanese Horse...

Last year's Japanese Triple Crown winner and dual champion Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}--Rhodochrosite, by Unbridled's Song) will retire to Shadai Stallion Station in Japan after making his final start in the G1 Japan Cup on Nov. 28. The news was first reported by BloodHorse. A fee for the 4-year-old North Hills Co., Ltd-bred will be announced later. The Shinji Maeda colourbearer, who is trained by Yoshito Yahagi, was named the Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Colt of 2019 on the back of a flawless campaign that culminated in a 1 1/2-length...

Over the last quarter-century, horses based in Japan have increasingly made their presence felt on the international stage, winning top races on the European continent, the Middle East, Hong Kong and places as far afield as Australia. Though clearly possessed of the horseflesh to make an impression--no matter the port of call--the Breeders' Cup had eluded the island nation, but history was made Saturday at Del Mar when the well-traveled Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) sliced her way between rivals in the dying strides to salute in the...

The G1 Shuka Sho had been billed as the stomping grounds of wildly popular white filly and G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas heroine Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}), but instead, 7-1 shot Akaitorino Musume (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) spoiled the party at Kyoto on Sunday. Following in the hoofsteps of her dam, 2010 Shuka Sho victress Apapane, the Makoto Kaneko Holdings-owned dark bay settled in a tracking sixth through the early going as A Shin Hiten (Jpn) (A Shin Hikari {Jpn}) cut out steady fractions while Sodashi sat in second several lengths...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a brother to five-time Group 1 winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).   14.00 Curragh, Mdn, €16,500, 2yo, 7fT Bob Scarborough's prolific mare Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has excelled in the paddocks with her nine foals headed by MG1SW sire Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit...

Another group 1, another wide-margin success for the rampant Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who emulated User Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}), Ramruma (Diesis {GB}), Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in adding Thursday's Darley Yorkshire Oaks to her Epsom and Irish Oaks victories. Anchored with only Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) behind as her stable's La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) set an honest tempo, the 8-15 favourite tracked Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) into the straight but was left in front as her chief rival paid...