Deep Impact sired his 46th Group 1 winner when the juvenile colt Contrail maintained his unbeaten record in taking out the Hopeful Stakes at Nakayama.
The late Shadai Stallion Station-based sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) sired his 46th Group / Grade 1 winner on Saturday when the Yoshito Yahagi-trained juvenile colt Contrail maintained his unbeaten record in taking out the Hopeful Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Nakayama.
Contrail landed his third win, having been sent off favourite, scoring by a length and a half clear from Weltreisende (Dream Journey) in second with another two lengths back Wakea (Heart's Cry) in third.
Breaking his maiden in his September debut over 1800 metres, Contrail scored an overwhelming 5-length victory in the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m) in November where he set a new course record.
"He was really strong. I didn't have to do anything but just sit on him," said winning jockey Yuichi Fukunaga following Saturday's victory.
"He's always been a good starter and I didn't want to pull him back too much but was able to settle him behind another runner—although he was racing well up front I was confident that we could make it through to the end."
Contrail is out of the placed Unbridled's Song (Unbridled) mare Rhodocrosite. She is out of the US Grade 1 winner Folklore (Tiznow), a dual Grade 1 winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and Matron Stakes, who is a half-sister to the Listed winner Divided Attention (A P Indy) and stakes placed Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality). Further back this is also the family of Grade 1 winner Come Dancing (Malibu Moon) who landed this year's Ballerina Stakes (Gr 1, 7f).
Deep Impact died in July this year at the age of 17. His sire sons at stud in Australia include Real Steel, Mikki Isle, Tosen Stardom and Saxon Warrior. He has 1 lot catalogued for the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Lot 385, a colt out of the Group winner Honesty Prevails (Redoute's Choice) who will be offered by Arrowfield Stud.
