Arima Kinen star Lys Gracieux seals fine 2019 for Heart's Cry

Victory as a stallion in an event which provided his most memorable success as a racehorse capped what has been a wonderful year for Heart’s Cry.

It was back in the Arima Kinen of 2005 that Heart’s Cry snapped the winning streak of Japanese sensation Deep Impact as he held off the long odds-on favourite by half a length, having been pipped by Alkaased in the Japan Cup a month earlier.

Heart’s Cry would later go on to run away with the Dubai Sheema Classic and claim an honourable third behind Hurricane Run in the King George.

Daughter Lys Gracieux has become his most significant money-earner to date, having also collected the Takarazuka Kinen back in June as well as October’s Cox Plate in Australia. The five-year-old, bred by Northern Farm out of French Listed winner Liliside, is now expected to be retired to the paddocks.

Lys Gracieux simply blew away an all-star field at Nakayama which not only included Almond Eye but Heart’s Cry’s Japan Cup hero Suave Richard, who finished well down the field.

The sire was also represented by 2017 Japan Cup winner Cheval Grand, who could not build on thirds in the last two renewals of the Arima Kinen but performed with credit in sixth.

Due to stand at Shadai Stallion Station at an elevated ¥10,000,000 (£70,000) next year, the son of Sunday Silence has last week’s Group 1 Hanshin Futurity Stakes winner Salios to take him into 2020.

His progeny to date have also included crack miler Just A Way, who topped the world thoroughbred rankings in early 2014, and Woodward Stakes winner-turned WinStar Farm stallion Yoshida.

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