Son of Deep Impact leads home Japanese 1-2-3-4 in Queen Elizabeth II Cup
The Japanese once again dominated the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, with the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Loves Only You (5 m Deep Impact - Loves Only Me by Storm Cat) adding a second top-flight win to her record when she led home a 1-2-3-4 for Japan in the 2000 metre race.
The mare came into the race off the back of third place finish behind Mishriff (Make Believe) in the Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr 1, 2410m) on March 27 and she finished strongly to beat 2019 Hong Kong Vase (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Glory Vase (Deep Impact).
Daring Tact (Epiphaneia) - the winner of the 2020 Japanese fillies triple crown - loomed up menacingly, but did not seem to kick up inside the final 100 metres and she eventually finished another half a length away in third, whole Kiseki (Rulership) was another length and a half adrift in fourth.
In winning the Group 1, Loves Only You became the sixth winner for Japanese-trained horses, with the most recent of those wins coming when Win Bright (Stay Gold) landed the Group 1 in 2019.
Yahagi’s assistant trainer Yusaku Oka said at how much it meant to the stable to avenge Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) winner Lys Gracieux (Heart’s Cry) defeat in Hong Kong in 2019.
“We came here two years ago with Lys Gracieux and unfortunately we didn’t win, so we did revenge for this race, this time so that makes me very happy.
“Thank you very much for the support from the Dubai Racing Club and Hong Kong Jockey Club. This is a very difficult situation and we had great support. Humans have a hard situation with coronavirus, but also horses, too.
“When she travelled from Dubai to Hong Kong and I saw the horse in Hong Kong and I saw her body looked really good. I wasn’t much worried about her preparation. She was in great order.
“Vincent Ho rode her really, really well.”
Oka revealed the mare might return to Hong Kong in December.
“We’ll see how she gets back to Japan and we’ll talk with the trainers and owners. We will then make the decision on the future,” he said. “There is a big option (to come back) because she won here in Hong Kong this year.”
The mare was purchased by DMM.com for ¥160,000,000 (approx $1,913,657) at the 2017 JRA Select Yearling and Foal Sale and she is out of the unraced Storm Cat (Storm Bird) mare Loves Only Me, who was herself bought by Katsumi Yoshida for US$900,000 at the 2009 edition of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
The mare has produced six other winners, headed by Loves Only You’s Group 1-winning brother Real Steel, who shuttled to Arrowfield Stud for one season in 2019, while she is also the dam of Prodigal Son (Deep Impact) and the Raddolcendo (Danehill Dancer) - the dam of Terzetto (Deep Impact).
Loves Only Me herself is out of Monemvasia (Mr Prospector) - who is herself a sister to multiple top-flight winner and successful stallion Kingmambo.
Monemvasia herself produced eight winners, including Group 3 scorer I Am Beautiful (Rip Van Winkle) and dual Group 1 scorer Rumplestiltskin (Danehill) - the dam 2014 Yorkshire Oaks (Gr 1, 1m4f) winner Tapestry (Galileo) and Group 3 scorer John F Kennedy (Galileo).
Loves Only You is one of 48 Group 1 winners for Deep Impact, while his total global stakes-winning count stands at 172.
Deep Impact, who stood at the Shadai Stallion Station for his whole breeding career, died in 2019 and he was represented by his sire sons Tosen Stardom, who stands at Woodside Park Stud and Coolmore Stud-based Saxon Warrior in Australia last season, while next season he will be represented by three-time Group 1 winner Fierce Impact who will stand his first season at Leneva Park in Victoria for an introductory fee of $16,500 (inc GST).
