The Mike Moroney-trained Japanese Emperor made the perfect start to his career at Sandown on Wednesday, coming with a late charge to score going away in a three-year-old event over 1200m.
A son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Satono Aladdin, Japanese Emperor was sent out a $16 chance and was forced to go back from a wide draw.
After shouldering into the clear 350m from home, the gelding let down impressively to win by two lengths under Jamie Mott.
Japanese Emperor was offered by Rich Hill Stud at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale at Karaka where he was knocked down for $360,000 to Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables, the highest-priced southern hemisphere yearling by the sire.
“The stallion is going very well and I know Mike and Paul loved this horse and had to go over budget to buy him and you can see why,” the stable’s Racing Manager Anthony Feroce said.
Nominated for the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Japanese Emperor made a favourable impression on winning rider Jamie Mott.
“He drew wide and I elected to go back and ride him quietly and put him to sleep,” he said.
“I angled out in the straight and he really exploded, he was super impressive.”
Japanese Emperor is out of the unraced O’Reilly mare Inthespotlight, who is from the immediate family of the Group One winners Metal Bender and Amarelinha and Gr.1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) runner-up North Pacific.
His sister was sold at Karaka this year to Go Racing for $85,000 and Inthespotlight foaled a filly by Ace High in 2021 before returning to Satono Aladdin. - NZ RAcing Desk
