Japanese domination on Saudi Cup night as Symboli Kris S stands tall

The strength of Japan's racing and breeding industries was on show on a high-quality Saudi Cup card in Riyadh, with Authority, Songline, Stay Foolish and Dancing Prince all dominating their respective Group 3 races on Saturday.

Authority kicked off what was to become an exceptional night for the Japanese when running out a length and a quarter victor of the Neom Turf Cup.

By one of the country's rising star sires in Shadai Stallion resident Orfevre, who stands for a fee of 3,500,000 Japanese Yen (£23,000/€27,000) this year, Authority was the first of two winners to be out of a Symboli Kris S mare, in his case Rosalind, an exceptionally bred sister to another Shadai supersire in Epiphaneia, and a half-sister to Group 1 winners Saturnalia and Leontes.

Authority is a three-time Group 2 winner in his home country, while the Northern Farm-bred five-year-old was also second in the Japan Cup to Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail in November.

Forty minutes later Songline proved too plucky in the 1351 Turf Sprint, adding a second black-type success to her name after landing a Group 2 in October. She was beaten a nose by Schnell Meister in the Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup last May.

The daughter of another Shadai resident in Kizuna - winner of the Japanese Derby and Prix Niel - the four-year-old is the first foal out of turf and dirt winner Luminous Parade, a Symboli Kris S half-sister to Group 2 winner Jeune Ecole.

The pair are out of a winning sister to Group 3 scorer Northern River who is also a half-sister to a multiple stakes winner Renforcer.

The Shadai theme was dominant as the duo are out of daughters of the late resident Symboli Kris S. The son of Kris S was Japanese Horse of the Year as a three- and four-year-old, with two wins apiece in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and Arima Kinen. He was also second in the Japanese Derby and twice placed in the Japanese Cup.

Adding to Japanese joy, Stay Foolish proved much the best when running his rivals ragged in the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap.

The evergreen seven-year-old was making it a second black-type success, nearly four years after his first in a Group 2. A vastly experienced campaigner, Stay Foolish has also placed a further 12 times in Graded company in Japan.

Bred by Shadai, he is by Stay Gold, a son of the great Sunday Silence, who beat Fantastic Light in the Dubai Sheema Classic and also struck in the Hong Kong Vase during a prolific career. He stands at Big Red Farm.

Stay Foolish is the second foal out of the King Kamehameha mare Kauai Lane, a Listed winner and half-sister to Group 1 winners Black Hawk and Pink Cameo, the latter bred by Watership Down Stud.

Dancing Prince completed Japan's remarkable four-timer when sauntering home in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

Another bred by Shadai Farm, the six-year-old is by triple Group 3 winner and Sprinters Stakes runner-up Pas De Trois, who stands for the equivalent of £2,000 at Lex Stud.

His dual Group 3-winning son is reportedly his only stakes winner from four small crops, having also landed the Capella Stakes in December, while he also won a Listed event last spring.

Dancing Prince is out of the Bubble Gum Fellow mare Little Blessing, a half-sister to champion Japanese sprinter Durandal, and is closely related to the Group 3-placed Princess Memory.

Japan were represented by two runners in the world's richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup, but local pride came to the fore with the victory of outsider Emblem Road.

By Quality Road, the four-year-old is out of Venturini, a Bernardini half-sister to Juddmonte-bred French Group 3 winner Fount and a fourth generation Juddmonte bred.

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