Off the mark at first asking going this trip at Niigata on Aug. 20, Sunday Racing's Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) added the G3 Artemis S. last out on Oct. 28 and maintained her perfect record in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies S. on Sunday. Off the fence in eighth through the early going, the 4-1 second choice and daughter of 2011 GI Ashland S. heroine Lilacs and Lace (Flower Alley) was shuffled farther off the pace through the first 1000 metres in :59.9. Shifted out at the 600-metre marker by pilot Syu Ishibashi who was winning his second Group 1, the chestnut uncorked a powerful run in the final 300 metres, drawing away to win by 3/4 of a length over fellow Sunday Racing colourbearer Lily Noble (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}). Mau Lea (Jpn) (Deep Impact Jpn}) ran third another half-length behind. Favoured Rock This Town (Jpn), the other group winner by dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up Orfevre (Jpn) to date, faded to ninth.
“She was a bit keen in her last start, but was very relaxed today,” said Ishibashi. “We were in a good striking position at the top of the stretch which gave me all the confidence I needed. Her physical ability is extremely high and she is very intelligent too.”
Pedigree Insights…
Lucky Lilac is the first top-level winner for her sire, who was the Japanese Horse of the Year in 2011, the same year he won the Triple Crown in his native land, and the second winner of her Grade I-winning dam. Lilacs and Lace, winner of the GI Ashland S. at Keeneland in 2011, has a yearling colt by Deep Impact (Jpn). Out of the Seattle Slew mare Refinement, herself a half-sister to Japanese champion older mare Diamond Biko (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) and MGSW & G1SP Isle de France (Nureyev), Lilacs and Lace's third dam is the MGISW Stella Madrid (Alydar). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
FIRST GROUP 1 WINNER FOR SIRE
Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
HANSHIN JUVENILE FILLIES-G1, ¥125,140,000 (US$1,103,092/£824,167/€937,389), Hanshin, 12-10, 2yo, f, 1600mT, 1:34.30, fm.
1–LUCKY LILAC (JPN), 119, f, 2, by Orfevre (Jpn)
1st Dam: Lilacs and Lace (GISW-US, $350,300),
by Flower Alley
2nd Dam: Refinement, by Seattle Slew
3rd Dam: Stella Madrid, by Alydar
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
T-Mikio Matsunaga; J-Syu Ishibashi; ¥66,288,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0. *1st G1SW for her sire (by Stay Gold {Jpn}).
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A.
2–Lily Noble (Jpn), 119, f, 2, Rulership (Jpn)–Pure Chaplet (Jpn),
by Kurofune. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥26,368,000.
3–Mau Lea (Jpn), 119, f, 2, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Buy the Cat, by
Storm Cat. O-Yukihiro Ochiai; B-Shimokobe Farm (Jpn);
¥16,184,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 2HF; Odds: 3.10, 4.50, 8.10.
Also Ran: Tosen Bless (Jpn), Molto Allegro, Lathyros (Jpn), Gulielma (Jpn), Social Club (Jpn), Rock This Town (Jpn), Mademoiselle (Jpn), Noble Earth (Jpn), Tosen Amber (Jpn), Cordierite (Jpn), Sayakachan (Jpn), Regle D'Or (Jpn), High Heel (Jpn), Las Emociones (Ire), Nadia (Jpn).
Click for the Racing Post chart, JRA Video.
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