The colours of well-known Australian owner breeder Robert Anderson were carried to victory on Saturday by Japanese bred mare Sparkle (Jpn), who made it back to back wins at Flemington on a day that proved very successful for Sydney based Japanese bloodstock agent Satomi Oka.
A number of years ago, Robert Anderson had the idea to enhance his Australian bloodstock portfolio with the addition of some quality Japanese bred fillies that would race in Japan and ultimately retire to stud here, but between the initial idea and fruition of the dream came much hard work and persistence.
“The process of obtaining an owners' licence in Japan requires a great amount of effort and takes nearly one year from start to finish, so hats off to Rob for persevering with his objective of obtaining well bred fillies from Japan and I am very happy for his successes both in Japan and Australia,” said Satomi Oka.
“The market in Japan has been strong so it has been a challenge for us to find a reasonably priced filly at the Select Sale. It is great to have Dr Ross Teitzel's help at the sale as well as Ross is one of Rob's long term friends and is a frequent visitor to Japan.”
From the second crop of Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia, Sparkle was purchased as a yearling at the 2019 JRHA Select Sale for ¥36000000 ($A413,770).Click to see her sale pedigree page.
She did her early racing in Japan where she won three races before coming to Australia last year and is now trained by Danny O’Brien for whom she has quickly made her mark.
Sparkle broke the ice here at Flemington on March 11 over 2000m and found the same course and distance to her liking again on Saturday when winning easily by two lengths for Celine Gaudray.
“Sparkle was a pre Christmas 2yo winner in Japan and won three races, but was stuck in the JRA's class system, so Rob decided to bring her to Australia where there are more race options,” Oka explained.
“Danny and his team have done an amazing job in acclimatising her and I am very much looking forward to seeing her continue to thrive in Australia.”
Sparkle is a half-sister to stakes-placed Segredo Superior from Eyes Only, a winning daughter of triple US Group I winner Island Fashion, so will be a very attractive broodmare for the future and even more so if she gains some Australian Black Type.
The success of Sparkle follows on from an earlier investment at the 2016 JRHA Select Sale when the same connections secured a filly by Kinshasa No Kiseki from Admire Light for ¥45000000 ($A517,388). Click to see her pedigree page.
Racing as Beluga, the filly proved an immediate success winning two races as a juvenile with a victory in the Group III Kyoto Sho Fantasy Stakes the highlight.
“Beluga is by Kinshasa No Kiseki (Fuji Kiseki) who is one of only three Australian bred G1 winners in Japan,” Oka pointed out.
“KK had to race against 6 month older horses, but won a pre-Christmas 2yo debutant race in Japan. He later won two G1 races and was awarded the best Champion Sprinter in 2010.
“Beluga was also fast and precocious and won her debut and G3 race as 2yo, however disappointingly she had to be scratched two days prior to racing in a 2yo G1 due to a small fracture.”
Beluga was subsequently retired and covered by champion Japanese sire Lord Kanaloa before returning to Australia where she produced a filly from the mating that has been retained and named Kala.
Kala is also in work with Danny O’Brien, but is yet to trial or race.
The second foal from Beluga is a colt by champion sire Snitzel that will be offered by Widden Stud as Lot 43 at Inglis Easter.
“Her Snitzel colt looks precocious and athletic, just like you would expect him to be,” said Oka, who had more reason to celebrate on Saturday as another of her purchases, Roots captured her first Black Type win when taking out the Group II ATC Emancipation Stakes.
Roots was a $52,000 purchase for Yugengaisha Murakami Kinya Bokujo, on the recommendation of Oka, from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session.
Trained by Chris Waller, Roots has the tidy record of six wins and four placings from 15 starts with prizemoney just shy of $500,000.
“It was a well deserved Black Type win for Roots and a wonderful result for Mr Murakami and Sheamus Mills and his partners, who are also in the ownership,” said Oka.
“Mr Murakami is a breeder in Japan and Roots has been giving him a great opportunity to learn how investing in a filly in Australia works. Australia provides much more opportunities for fillies to get Black Type compared to racing in Japan.”
Approved as an accredited member of the FBAA, Satomi Oka will be busy inspecting yearlings at Riverside Stables this week ahead of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
