Yahagi continues love affair with Siyouni and Arqana as Shin Emperor is preparing to head back to Europe

It is now three years since globetrotting trainer Yoshito Yahagi lit up the Arqana sales ring when securing a full-brother to Arc hero Sottsass for €2.1 million, vowing to bring the son of Siyouni back to France to win the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. 

That colt was Shin Emperor, who did indeed make the line-up for the Arc two seasons later and who might still have some unfinished business with a couple of Europe's biggest Group 1 prizes this autumn. 

Yahagi is back in Deauville on the hunt for a new challenger for the one major racing continent that he has yet to bring to heel, and was quick off the mark on Saturday evening, striking at €320,000 a colt by the same sire from Jose Delmotte's Haras d'Haspel. 

Like many of Delmotte's prized broodmares, the colt's Kingman dam Brinjal is from a deep Juddmonte family, and is a Kingman half sister to Timepiece and Passage Of Time who, in addition to winning the Criterium de Saint-Cloud, has produced this season's Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Cosmic Year and stallion Time Test. 

Haras d'Haspel's Siyouni colt is knocked down to Yoshito Yahagi for €320,000Credit: ZUZANNA LUPA

Undoubtedly Yahagi has a real feeling for the progeny of Siyouni, though the model was clearly important in this case as well. 

"Of course Siyouni is the sire of Shin Emperor so we paid close attention," said Yahagi. "In addition, he was my pick of today's lots after our inspections." 

With Japan's own breeding and racing industry operating at such a high level, the question arises as to why Yahagi is interested in buying European stock. 

He said: "I'm looking for new pedigrees and bloodlines. And I have yet to win a big race in Europe, and one of my biggest ambitions is to win a Group 1 here, including of course the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe."

Shin Emperor powers to victory in the Neom Turf Cup at RiyadhCredit: Grossick Racing Photography (racngpost.com/photos)

Yahagi also had news of Shin Emperor, who was third in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes before running 12th in the Arc last autumn, and who failed to back up a fine win in Saudi Arabia when well-beaten in the Dubai Sheema Classic at the beginning of April. 

"He will arrive on August 28 ahead of the Irish Champion Stakes," said Yahagi, who is planning an identical European campaign as last year, while hoping for better results. "At the moment he is improving," said his trainer. 

What price that his latest Siyouni purchase might end up running in Europe in 2027?  

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