Deep Impact yearling sets new JHRA Select Sale record of £3.77 million

A new record price for a yearling was established at the opening session of the JRHA Select Sale on Monday as a colt by the late Deep Impact reached a cool ¥510,000,000 (£3,770,000/€4,185,000).

Bidding was always set to be hectic for what are likely to be among the last of the Japanese sensation's progeny to be offered publicly - some 13 Deep Impacts had been catalogued with 12 changing hands for an average of ¥208,000,000 (£1,538,000) - at an event where prices held up well given the financial climate.

The record-breaking colt came half-way through the session at lot 114, and is out of the unraced Mineshaft mare Sheave, already the dam of Kentucky Oaks heroine Cathryn Sophia.

View sale results here

Purchaser Tetsuhide Kunimoto said that the colt would be trained by Tomokazu Takano, who conditioned his Deep Impact mare Shonan Pandora to win the 2015 Japan Cup.

“I am involved in ownership of racehorses for more than 35 years and I am sure this is one of the best yearlings I have ever seen”, Kunimoto said of the sales topper.

"I visited Northern Farm three times to inspect yearlings and went to the barn of Northern Farm at sales ground this morning, when I was determined to buy him.

"Price is no object with regard to this colt and I hope his quality is as high as his price.”

This Deep Impact shattered the new mark of ¥400,000,000 (£2,956,000) another at lot 56, out of Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes winner, Forever Darling, which had taken the Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido by storm.

Consigned by Northern Farm, he was bought by Masahiro Noda’s Danox Co.Ltd for a fee which surpassed the record ¥360,000,000 achieved on two occasions including by another Deep Impact last year.

"I think there are two outstanding yearlings in the catalogue and this is one them”, Yoshiki Okada, racing manager to Noda, said.

"This is a big strong colt, which may not be [the] typical progeny by Deep Impact.

But he is a very good mover. I visited Northern Farm to inspect yearlings several times and he always looked fantastic. And Mr Noda saw him yesterday and decided to buy him. I believe he stays a mile and a half, and hope he will be our Derby horse."

Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm added: "While I expected high price, as several major owners are interested in this colt, I did not expect a price more than ¥300 million.

"Mr Noda visited Northern Farm yesterday and said this is the pick of day. I would like to express my sincere thanks to owners and trainers who travelled to Hokkaido under the current challenging situation.”

Deep Impacts achieved eight of the top nine prices at the session, with the filly out of Teddy's Promise third best at ¥240,000,000.

“I think this is the one which I shouldn’t miss to buy today”, Masaaki Matsushima, representing owners Kieffers Co Ltd and co-owner of Aidan O'Brien's Japan, said.

"As always, my dream is to win the Arc de Triomphe and this is the one to aim the Arc in 2022.”

Mikio Matsunaga will train the daughter of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes winner.

Deep Impact was a giant of Shadai Stallion StationCredit: Shadai Stallion Station

As expected, a hot bidding war was seen for the Deep Impact half-brother to French Guineas and Oaks winner La Cressoniere, who was bought by Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co Ltd for ¥220,000,000.

"Mr.Kaneko visited our barn this morning and this colt caught his fancy, said consignor Teruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm, “I am very happy with the price of this colt and very happy with today’s market, which is stronger than I expected.”

In all, 229 lots were sold for an aggregate of ¥10428,000,000, a 3 per cent decline on 2019, while the average of ¥45,537,118 was down 6 per cent. The clearance rate of 92 per cent was also just 1 per cent down on last year.

“This is an amazing market,” said Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, leading consignor at the session, at the conclusion.

"I was actually worried about the market, because there were travel restrictions until June 19 in Japan and owners and trainers could not come here to inspect yearlings catalogued until then.

"I am very happy with the gross sale, which is the second highest at the yearling session, and am more than happy with the clearance rate.

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to owners and trainers who supported the market."

The sale concludes on Tuesday with a session of foals.

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