Deep Impact

To an extent, when Coolmore wins two of the weekend's premier Classics in Europe and Godolphin wins another, it feels like we are harking back to the glory days around the turn of the century, when the battle of the superpowers was epitomised by those back-to-back duels between Galileo (Ire) and Fantastic Light in the 'King George' and Irish Champion Stakes. Honours even. And it was honours even at Epsom, with the dazzling victory of Ballydoyle's Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Cazoo Oaks, followed by the satisfying success...

His passing in the summer of 2019 leaves an immense void in the worldwide breeding industry, but even posthumously, the legendary Deep Impact (Jpn) just keeps churning out the results. On May 21, his 2-year-old son out of American listed winner and European multiple group-placed Premier Stars (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) fetched an astonishing ¥517 million (£3.33 million) at a breeze-up sale and just nine days later, Shahryar (Jpn) provided the stallion with a seventh winner of the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and fourth in succession. At Epsom Friday, Snowfall...

The undefeated white filly Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune), once again defeated arch-rival Satono Reinas (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) at Hanshin on Sunday. The order of finish had been the same in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies last December and both fillies were making their 3-year-old bows. It was also a new course record of 1:31.10 for the 1600 metres, breaking the mark set by Black Moon (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) in 2017. Second choice in the wagering at 5-2 versus Satono Reinas's 2-1...

Deep Impact (Jpn) added another feather to his cap posthumously on Sunday when, for the first time, one of his progeny won a Group 1 race over 1200 metres. Gran Alegria (Jpn) had shown enough pace at two to win her first two starts over a mile before finishing third against the colts in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity. She earned her first Group 1 rosette going that same mile trip in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) on seasonal debut the following April. Connections clearly knew what they...

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. Today's Insights features the latest progeny of a Classic-winning mare. 2.35 ParisLongchamp, Mdn, €22,000, 2yo, f, 8fT SENTIMENTAL MAMBO (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is the latest progeny out of Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}), heroine of six top-level contests including the G1 Prix de Diane. Andre Fabre has charge of...

As reported in more detail by European Editor Emma Berry in Tuesday's TDN European Edition, members of the final crop of the late Deep Impact (Jpn) predictably dominated the yearling section of the JRHA Select Sale Monday on the island of Hokkaido, accounting for the day's top six sellers and eight of the top nine. Lot 114, the second Japanese foal from Sheave (Mineshaft)--the dam of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss)--led the way on a record final bid of ¥510 million ($4,766,356), as the offspring of American-bred...

Almost a year after his death, Deep Impact (Jpn) still casts a long shadow over Japanese racing and breeding and the legendary stallion was responsible for two new records and the six most expensive yearlings at the JHRA Select Sale, at which turnover was down only fractionally from a record-breaking session in 2019. The first record was set just 56 lots into the yearling session when his son out of the GII Santa Ynez S. winner Forever Darling (Congrats) sold for ¥400 million (£2.95m/€3.28m/$3.73m) to Masahiro Noda of Danox Co...

It's not as if the bloodstock world needed a reminder of the global efficacy of Japan's late breed-shaping sire Deep Impact (Jpn), but nonetheless last weekend Fancy Blue (Ire) served up just that when handing her sire a third European Classic winner in the space of three seasons after Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and Study Of Man (Ire) took the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Prix du Jockey Club, respectively, in 2018. Few sires ever can lay claim to the kind of global influence that Deep Impact has had; his 47...

G1 Prix de Diane winner Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) could surface next in the G1 Nassau S. at Glorious Goodwood on July 30, said trainer Donnacha O'Brien. "Fancy Blue has come out of her race well," said O'Brien of his first Classic winner. "We're still not a hundred per cent sure where she will go next, but the Nassau at Goodwood is a strong possibility at the minute." The Coolmore partners' Fancy Blue was winning for the third time from four starts in the Prix de Diane, her...

Before we go any further, let's just make one thing clear: for all the excitement of Saturday and the fact that the Oaks and the Derby were even able to take place this year, let's not lose our heads and start to think that they should in future take place on the same day in July. They should not. This is an extraordinary year for one big reason beyond our control and it should remain just that. Right, where were we? Ah, Epsom. I'll go to my grave failing to...

Des Ailes (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the first foal out of 2014 G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches victress Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), puts her unbeaten record on the line and jumps up into group-race company for the first time in Sunday's G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks). A debut winner at Hanshin on Mar. 15, she added the Listed Sweetpea S. at Tokyo on May 3 to her resume. Both those starts were over 1800 metres, and she adds another three furlongs on Sunday...

Geniale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a winner in his native Japan before winning the G3 Prix Messidor in France in 2018, will take up stud duties at Gestut Lindenhof in Germany, Racing Post reports. Geniale is out of triple Group 1 and Classic winner Sarafina (Fr) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}), who raced as a homebred for the Aga Khan but who has produced all of her foals in Japan for Shadai Farm. Geniale is her first foal, and her four foals to race also include the G3 Prix d'Aumale victress...