Goldolphin's Fine Needle (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) saluted by the narrowest of margins over 2015 G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas heroine Let's Go Donki (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen to give her sire Admire Moon his second top-flight winner in the Land of the Rising Sun. It was the first locally-trained Group 1 win, as well, for the boys in blue.
Gaining a position in midfield in through the early going as Diana Halo (Jpn) (King Halo {Jpn}) and 2017 Takamatsunomiya Kinen hero Seiun Kosei (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) battled for supremacy, the 9-2 second choice switched out five deep on the lone bend and drew within striking distance at the head of the lane. It appeared half of the field was in with a shot 200 metres from home, but Let's Go Donki angled up the inside and took command, as Fine Needle continued to grind away on the extreme outside. Only a nose separated the top pair on the line, as Fine Needle's desperate rally came good, while Nac Venus (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) completed the trifecta, in between them a half-length back. Dance Director (Jpn) (Aldebaran) was a similar distance back in fourth, a neck to the good of Hong Kong GSW & G1SP Blizzard (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}), who blew in from Hong Kong.
“The horse had shown significant improvement since the latter half of last season and he's matured every time he comes back for training following his time out in the pasture,” said trainer Yoshitada Takahashi, who hung out his shingle in 2011 and was winning his first top-shelf event. “He came into this race weighting 480kg–about 10kg more than I would have thought as ideal–but he was in great condition and his movement didn't look heavy at all, so I guess that goes to show how much strength he's put on. It gave me a great sense of accomplishment to have been able to be the first to give the owner their first Group 1 title in Japan and I would like to credit my whole stable staff for their effort and teamwork.”
Added Takahashi, “This victory opens a number of options for us and future plans will be discussed with the owners including possible overseas challenges to Hong Kong and/or England.”
Fine Needle won the Aquamarine S. at Nakayama last February, and was back in the winner's circle three starts later, claiming the 1200-metre Minazuki S. over the lawn at Hanshin in June. Only fifth in the G3 Kitakyushu Kinen at Kokura in August, the entire saluted in the G2 Centaur S. returned to Hanshin over this trip Sept. 10, his first black-type victory. Unplaced in the G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama on Oct. 1, he entered Sunday's feature with a win in the G3 Silk Road S. sprinting at Kyoto on Jan. 28.
Pedigree Notes…
Fine Needle is the second Group 1 winner for the End Sweep stallion Admire Moon (Jpn) and one of 12 black-type winners for the Darley Japan resident. Needlecraft (Ire), who won France's G3 Prix Chloe and Italy's G3 Premio Sergio Cumani, also was runner-up in the G2 Oppenheim Pramerica Grosse Europa-Meile in Germany. Fine Needle is the fifth winner of eight foals of racing age and the lone black-type winner. He is followed by the twice-raced Core Needle (Jpn) (Storming Home {GB}) and a yearling full-sister. Second dam Sharp Point (Ire) (Royal Academy), a half-sister to Hong Kong MSW Fastest Star (Ire) (High Estate {Ire}), was runner-up in the G1 Phoenix S. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Chukyo, Japan
TAKAMATSUNOMIYA KINEN-G1, ¥215,400,000 (US$2,057,179/£1,455,815/€1,664,609), Chukyo, 3-25, 4yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.50, fm.
1–FINE NEEDLE (JPN), 126, h, 5, Admire Moon (Jpn)
1st Dam: Needlecraft (Ire) (GSW-Ity & Fr, GSP-Ger,
$145,211), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sharp Point (Ire), by Royal Academy
3rd Dam: Nice Point (GB) by Sharpen Up (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Godolphin; B-Darley Japan Farm (Jpn);
T-Yoshitada Takahashi; J-Yuga Kawada; ¥113,780,000. Lifetime
Record: 24-8-2-2. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Let's Go Donki (Jpn), 121, m, 6, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–
Marutoku (Jpn), by Marvelous Sunday (Jpn). O-Toshihiro
Hirosaki HD Inc.; B-Shimizu Bokujo (Jpn); ¥45,080,000.
3–Nac Venus (Jpn), 121, m, 5, Daiwa Major (Jpn)–Ready to
Please, by More Than Ready. O- Kinya Komatsu; B-Shadai Farm
(Jpn); ¥28,540,000.
Margins: NO, HF, HF. Odds: 4.50, 5.30, 40.20.
Also Ran: Dance Director (Jpn), Blizzard (Aus), Seiun Kosei (Jpn), Reine Minoru (Jpn), Red Falx (Jpn), Snow Dragon (Jpn), King Heart (Jpn), Nero (Jpn), Shining Lei (Jpn), Nobo Baccara (Jpn), Rieno Tesoro, Rhein Spirit (Jpn), Rhein Meteor (Jpn), Jeune Ecole (Jpn), Diana Halo (Jpn).
Click for the Racing Post chart. JRA Video.
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