By Alan Carasso
Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}–Mejiro Frances {Jpn}, by Carnegie {Ire}), the reigning Japanese Horse of the Year who capped off his brilliant career with a smashing success in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin Dec. 11, will enter stud at Shadai Stallion Station for the 2017 Northern Hemisphere breeding season. He will command ¥4,000,000. A retirement ceremony will be held for the champion at Nakayama Jan. 15.
Winner of his career debut at Kyoto in track-record time of 1:20.6 for 1400 metres, Maurice became an unstoppable force at age four in 2015, with six wins from as many trips to the post, including, in succession, Japan's top early-season mile event, the G1 Yasuda Kinen, followed by a victory in the G1 Mile Championship when first up for over five months last November. That race set up a clash with Hong Kong Horse of the Year Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. Sent off the second betting choice to that long odds-on favorite, Maurice conceded first run to his older rival, but fought back doggedly beneath Ryan Moore and, as HKJC commentator Brett Davis said, 'a star was born.'
Considered for a run in the G1 Dubai Turf, Maurice instead made his 2016 debut back at Sha Tin, with yet another imperious success in the G1 Champions Mile ahead of solid runner-up efforts first in defense of the Yasuda Kinen and then when the ground was against him in the G2 Sapporo Kinen (2000m). He dispelled any rumours that he does not run a strong mile and a quarter when accounting for none other than Dubai Turf hero Real Steel (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and proved he could handle the trip in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup in no uncertain terms.
By a G1 Japan Cup winner and out of a mare by a G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, Maurice was trained by Noriyuki Hori for Kazumi Yoshida and retires with a record of 18-11-2-1 and earnings of about $9,314,966.
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