Seventh Japanese Derby winner for Deep Impact as Shahryar denies Efforia

The phenomenal late Deep Impact once again reminded the global breeding industry of his loss when siring the winner of the Japanese Derby, the Tokyo Yushun, for the fourth straight year on Sunday. It was his seventh overall.

Trained by Hideaki Fujiwara, Shahryar was initially caught behind horses in what was a moderately run race at Tokyo, but he showed a real turn of foot to repel favourite and 2,000 Guineas hero Efforia by a nose in the last 100 metres.

For Shahryar, this was first top-level success on just his fourth career start.

Winning rider Yuichi Fukunaga said: “It’s great to have won the Derby, which I had made the target with this colt since his debut.

"We were keeping an eye on the favourite but the race didn’t go as smoothly as planned and we were in a tight spot so we were forced to make our charge late, but this colt gave a terrific effort."

Fujiwara added: "It was a good stall and he took a good position after the start, but he couldn't get out of the pack, which was worrying. I thought Efforia would be tough to beat but at the end he got up to win well."

The winner of the Grade 3 Mainichi Hai in March, the colt is out of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint heroine Dubai Majesty, a daughter of multiple American Graded scorer Essence Of Dubai, and is a full-brother to Al Ain, winner of the Japanese 2,000 Guineas and Osaka Hai and Yasutoshi Ikee.

Owned by Sunday Racing and bred by Northern Farm, Shahryar was following in the footsteps of Contrail, Roger Barows, Wagnerian and Makahiki in providing his late supersire with a win in the Japanese Classic.

The three-year-old was leading home a 1-3-4-5 in the race for Deep Impact, who died at the age of 17 in 2019 due to a fracture of the cervical spine.

Among the son of Sunday Silence's leading progeny are Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail, dual Japan Cup winner Gentildonna and European Classic winners Saxon Warrior and Fancy Blue.

Efforia's rider Takeshi Yokoyama said: "I am so sorry I couldn't meet the expectation. He was little bit keen in the slow-pace race but he lengthened his stride for the finish and at the end he has lost out so narrowly."

Satono Reinas started second favourite and managed fifth. Rider Christophe Lemaire said: "I was in a good position at the top of the back straight. The pace down the back straight was so slow, so some of the horses came to the front and she felt the pressure and wanted to go to the front. It was earlier than I wanted. She held out well in the straight but couldn't stay in front all the way."

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