When exciting three year-old Japonisme won brilliantly at Rosehill on August 1 we asked the question whether he would be the next star sprinter for Choisir and after the Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes on Saturday I think we can say the answer to that question is yes!
In a race packed with up and coming talent and established stars such as Golden Slipper hero Vancouver and Silver Slipper winner Headwater, Japonisme was always going to have to raise the bar on his recent impressive winter form.
Raise it he did, stalking the leaders to settle back in fifth place before unleashing a powerful finish to roll past his rivals and win the 1100 metre feature by half a length from another up and comer in King's Troop, the three-quarter brother-in-blood to Snitzel.
Golden Slipper winner Vancouver finished fourth under 60 kg in what could only be described as a mediocre return.
Japonisme has won four successive races since being spelled and gelded and Waller now has to decide if then handsome chestnut will join the likes of his Group I-winning stablemate Press Statement in the $1 million Group I ATC Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) in three weeks.
"I think we've got a Group I horse on our hands," Waller said. "The Golden Rose is a very hard race to bypass, it's in our backyard, but I really think he's a good sprinter.
"1400 (metres) to me is not really a genuine sprint, it's getting more like a mile for a three-year-old this early in the season.
"If you back off now you could easily get ready for a race like the Coolmore Stud Stakes."
The 69th stakes-winner worldwide for Choisir, Japonisme now has the overall record of four wins and two placings from seven starts with prizemoney topping $250,000.
A homebred for the Ingham family, Japonisme was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the second foal and second winner for Encosta de Lago mare Haiku, who they bought as an Inglis Easter yearling in 2008 for $850,000.
A half-sister to Group I New Zealand Oaks winner Tapildo and Group II STC Silver Slipper winner Plagiarize, Haiku raced only once and has since been on-sold fetching $50,000 last year when bought by James Harron Bloodstock when in foal to Choisir and for $25,000 this year when bought by Heritage Bloodstock and in foal to The Factor (USA).
That foal will now be highly anticipated as a sibling to a rising star sprinter by a stallion whose progeny set the sale ring alight earlier this week at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale selling for up to $750,000.
Tara Madgwick - BREEDNET, Saturday, 15 August 2015
