On a hot, sunny afternoon in June 1974, Chantilly racecourse hosted a Royal Visit that was ultimately to mark one of the most significant days in the history of racing and breeding, not only in Europe, but in Japan, as well.
On a hot, sunny afternoon in June 1974, Chantilly racecourse hosted a Royal Visit that was ultimately to mark one of the most significant days in the history of racing and breeding, not only in Europe, but in Japan, as well.
Her Majesty The Queen was in attendance to watch her filly Highclere win the G1 Prix de Diane, which added to the three-year-old's victory in the G1 1,000 Guineas and made her arguably the most valuable potential broodmare in Europe. The win also highlighted the filly's impressive family in bloodstock circles.
Two generations later, the evidence was there for all to see. Highclere's daughter Height Of Fashion, sold privately to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, produced Nashwan, Unfuwain and Nayef, who were all to make their mark on the racecourse as well as at stud.
And, notably, another of Highclere's daughters, Wind In Her Hair, a G1 winner, who was also runner-up in the G1 Oaks at Epsom when trained in Britain by John Hills, went on to produce Deep Impact (by Sunday Silence), whose influence as a stallion in Japan has been phenomenal, given his relatively short time at stud.
Sunday's 35th running of the G1 Japan Cup was a triumph for him as he sired the winner Shonan Pandora as well as runner-up Last Impact, the pair only separated by a neck in a thrilling finish. She was Deep Impact's third Japan Cup winner.
Shonan Pandora became the seventh filly, and the 17th four-year-old, to triumph in the race, which had appeared one of the most open ever seen in Fuchu's annual drawcard. Surely, she will now be a major contender for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe next October as the Japanese continue their quest to land the biggest prize in French racing.
Japanese-trained horses filled the first five places, with the best of the visitors being the Francis Graffard-trained Erupt, who finished an honourable sixth. The Peter Schiergen-trained Nightflower was 11th, with Ed Dunlop's Trip To Paris 14th.
At Aqueduct, NY, trainer Christophe Clement sent out a 1-2 in the G1 Cigar Mile on Saturday when Tonalist beat Red Vine by a neck.
Kiaran McLaughlin scratched Godolphin runner Marking from the Cigar Mile because he had drawn the inside gate. Marking will now line up in the G1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on December 26.
McLaughlin also sent out Mohaymen, in the colours of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, to land the G2 Remsen Stakes. The colt remains undefeated and has chalked up 10 points on the current Kentucky Derby leaderboard. He is to be shipped to the trainer's Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida for the winter, together with Godolphin's Annual Report, who finshed unplaced at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
