'Athletic, lean and aerodynamic, Deep Impact is more sports car than tank'

In an article from the Racing Post of December 2, 2007, Nicholas Godfrey writes about his pilgrimage to see his equine hero Deep Impact at stud

Mick Channon renewing his trademark windmill celebration after John McCririck suggests he come out of retirement to rejuvenate an ailing England XI.

Clive Brittain bemusing hordes of Japanese journalists at a pre-race press conference as he grabs the microphone and proceeds to interview Ryan Moore in a mock-Yorkshire accent. It isn't only the locals who are puzzled.

Top-class horses being put through their paces early on a crispy clear autumnal morning, with a snow-capped Mount Fuji plainly visible in the distance.

An unrivalled atmosphere generated by an enthusiastic crowd of 100,000-plus as a backdrop to Admire Moon winning one of the world's best races at perhaps the most magnificent racecourse on the planet.

If nothing else, a few days in the Far East for the Japan Cup offers a trip from the ridiculous to the sublime. Best of all is a long day trip to the northernmost island Hokkaido two days before the big race to drop in on a national icon, the equine superstar DeepImpact, sold for a Japanese record 5.1 billion yen (£22.75m).

Now at stud alongside a panoply of big names at the Yoshida family's celebrated Shadai stallion station complex, he retired with seven Grade 1 wins to his name across two seasons, not an easy record to achieve in a country with relatively few Grade 1s, none of them sponsored by Mickey Mouse.

The horse with the audacious last-to-first running style is a major celebrity in a racing-mad nation.

'Deepo Impacto', as Japanese race callers liked to pronounce it, is also a huge personal favourite after I bumped into him early on my trip down the racing road back in 2005 on my first visit to Japan. Don't expect any semblance of objectivity here on what amounts to a pilgrimage. Forget the Arc - that wasn't him.

Hokkaido, 500 miles north of Tokyo and not far off Russia, is DeepImpact's new home. The cradle of Japan's remarkable horseracing industry, at the last count this largely rural expanse housed 1,127 of the nation's 1,476 breeders. That's about 76 per cent. Of the nation's 292 stallions, 86 per cent are here.

They held the Winter Olympics in Hokkaido's major city Sapporo in 1972, and winter is already here in 2007. Although the brass monkeys are looking between their legs with a degree of concern, this is a picture-postcard setting after two days of heavy snow have left the 'Horse Island' blanketed.

Home turf

Shadai is half an hour from Sapporo airport. Totally dominant, ruthlessly efficient, Japan's foremost racing and breeding operation is its answer to Coolmore. Look at a racecard at any major racecourse and a huge proportion of runners are owned by the Yoshidas, their cohorts or one of their syndicates; of those that aren't, many are the offspring of Shadai stallions.

Like Sadler's Wells in Ireland, much of this success can be traced to a single prepotent stallion: the 12-time champion sire Sunday Silence, who died in 2002. It is his best son I have come to see, though, the horse who retired with a deserved reputation as high as the marmalade skies and is now being lined up as a readymade replacement for an esteemed father.

Deep Impact's son Saxon Warrior became a Classic winner two years ago when taking the 2,000 Guineas at NewmarketCredit: Edward Whitaker

After a quick trip to the adjoining Northern Farm stud and training facility, with its extraordinary 900m covered uphill gallop, I hit Shadai itself. While every stall at this horse heaven is a luxury apartment, you couldn't miss DeepImpact's barn. It is the one with the security guard standing sentinel outside. It is also the one kitted out with various good-luck charms from besotted fans, plus a litter of kittens as semi-permanent residents.

The star of the show is waiting placidly, ready to pose for photographs. Although Deep Impact is said to have filled out by about 50kg since his racing days he remains curiously unimposing in the flesh, a pony compared to his neighbour, the massive Symboli Kris S.

What he is, though, is athletic. Lean and aerodynamic, Deep Impact is more sports car than tank, which my hosts suggest is typical of Sunday Silence, a horse who stamps most of his offspring. A high proportion of them, like both the sire andDeepImpact, are dark bays with a patch of white on their heads. Another trait is only the barest trace of a winter coat; Sunday Silence never got woolly.

But where DeepImpact differs markedly is in temperament. "People say Sunday Silence was a bit tough," explains Shadai spokesman Eisuke Tokutake. "But it wasn't that he really wanted to attack people, he just couldn't help doing something, nosing around or biting.

"DeepImpact isn't like that. He is quite sensible, very smart. Sometimes you think he is more like a human than an animal, and he is very interested in people, he watches them all the time."

Seen it all before

Standing in the snow, the good-natured DeepImpact looks a picture of equine docility, difficult to equate to the racehorse with such an explosive burst. He is used to visitors - and when you've acted in a TV commercial for canned coffee, the attentions of a British hack taking a few photos are unlikely to bother you. He appears so relaxed a baby could happily be balanced on his back.

Shadai is not open to the general public but on February 14 this year - the unintentionally cutesy Valentine's Day start date to the covering season - they hosted an open day to mark the start of Deep Impact's first season at stud. In a testament to his popularity, 1,200 people showed up at this remote location to cheer him on as he popped his cherry. It didn't seem to affect his performance, as he went on to cover 206 mares. In hindsight, maybe he isn't docile, just knackered.

Wagnerian, like Saxon Warrior a Derby-winning son of Deep Impact of 2018, in his case the Tokyo YushunCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

Given the number of classy mares offered for rendezvous, perhaps it isn't surprising he needed little coaxing. "I didn't know there were so many black-type mares in Japan," offers my guide. Among them were some familiar names, like European Group 1 winners Carling and Ski Paradise, plus a pair of Cheveley Park Stakes winners in Seazun and Donna Blini.

In human terms, imagine a spotty adolescent teenager being offered the chance of a liaison with Scarlett Johansson, Cameron Diaz and Beyonce. They may not know what they're doing, but you probably wouldn't need to apply the persuader.

Sorry about that. Blame my hosts - they're the ones who started the anthropomorphising. "He knows he's special," claims Tokutake, who reckons DeepImpact may not be the most popular horse among his peers.

"They know he is getting extra things and more attention."

Reluctantly, we must move on to look at the remainder of Shadai's exalted team. Horses of whom I have barely heard are brought out, like bright new stars Neo Universe and Agnes Tachyon.

Next up is a son of Kingmambo, multiple Group 1 winner King Kamehameha. Try saying that after a couple of sakés.

Then come a few more familiar names. July Cup winner Agnes World cavorts around his paddock before the arrival of Arc runner-up White Muzzle. "Peter Chapple-Hyam," intones Tokutake in a voice laden with significance. After what seems a nice dramatic pause, he adds: "Yutaka Take." Maybe it's wishful thinking, but there seems the merest hint of a smile.

Next comes the monstrous Falbrav, even more of a brute now than when he was racing. Not overjoyed at being disturbed, it seems, he makes for a fiercely intimidating sight, rearing to his full height on his hind legs. "He's not difficult to handle but he can get pretty excited," says Tokutake. You can say that again. No neck-stroking opportunities here.

Less impact

The tour ends with a notable Shadai failure. War Emblem, winner of the first two legs of the US Triple Crown in 2002, came to Japan amid huge fanfare after a $17.7m deal in September 2002.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out.

War Emblem is the most reluctant of heroes, as short on libido as he was long on talent. Never prolific, he has failed to cover a single mare in two seasons, and only a handful in three before that. At least the Shadai team retain a sense of humour about this money-draining flop.

"In his first year, he had 300 chances to cover mares but managed only four," says Tokutake. "In fact, he chose the mares - it was like they were his lovers. He was the first thoroughbred stallion in the world to cover with love. And the funny thing was, all four of them won." The horse in question has become notorious. Later, one of Shadai's senior managers pokes his head around the door. "You see War Emblem?" he asks, pidgin English failing to disguise obvious contempt.

"Most expensive teaser in world!" There are probably worse places to be. Just ask George Washington.

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