International investment continues to reward Teruya Yoshida

Very few are better qualified to judge the remarkable surge of Japanese runners on the international stage than Teruya Yoshida, the man in the winner's enclosure with two of the early stars on Dubai World Cup night and a major part of the celebrations of his country's effective five-timer.

Yoshida and his brothers Katsumi and Haruya have had such a profound effect on their nation’s breeding industry that it is difficult to summarise, but much can be tracked back to the decision by his father Zenya to purchase Sunday Silence, who transformed the landscape from his time at Shadai Stallion Station.

There had first been a trip down memory lane for Yoshida in Shadai's yellow and black silks in the Dubai Gold Cup as Stay Foolish bravely stuck his neck back in front of Manobo.

Not long later, there was a winner in Yoshida's own red-sleeved variety with Crown Pride announcing himself as a possible Kentucky Derby prospect by landing the UAE Derby under a composed Damian Lane.

"Before, Japanese horses were not good enough to compete with foreign horses but we invested huge amounts to buy broodmares and stallions," Yoshida said. "Since Sunday Silence – this horse [Crown Pride] traces into his line – things have changed. The trainers' skills have also improved the last five, ten years, so that's why this has happened."

With the meeting following the similarly productive Saudi Cup results for Japanese runners, Yoshida was asked how proud he was of his country's international performance.

"It’s more than we expected anyway," he said. "But it’s happening."

Stay Foolish and Christophe Lemaire (right) maintained their upward curve in the Dubai Gold CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

The lightly raced Crown Pride is the outstanding performer to have emerged by Reach The Crown, a Grade 2-winning grandson of the mighty Sunday Silence who was at Shadai before moving to Arrow Stud.

The career of the seven-year-old Stay Foolish is eerily reminiscent of his sire, the late Stay Gold, who was quite a late developer for the Yoshidas and landed the Sheema Classic in 2001 at the same age.

He concluded a few months later with a Group 1 score in the Hong Kong Vase. Stay Gold died aged 21 in 2015, only a few weeks before Stay Foolish was born, as the sire of the likes of international campaigners Gold Ship, Win Bright and the enigmatic Orfevre.

His son was only fifth in the last Vase but has thrived from a step up in trip as he dominated the Red Sea Turf in Saudi Arabia and this was another career high at Group 2 level before what could yet be an even more prestigious target.

Stay Foolish’s dam, the King Kamehameha-sired Kauai Lane, was a stakes winner over a mile in Japan bred by the Lloyd Webber family’s Watership Down. They boarded her dam, the 1988 Irish Oaks third Silver Lane, with Harry Sweeney’s Paca Paca Farm, which sold Kauai Lane to the Yoshidas for Y35,000,000 (around £217,000) at the JRHA Foal Sale in 2006.

Tetsuya Yoshida, Teruya's son and the farm’s vice president, said after the race: "The horse had produced more [early] results over a mile or so, so to a degree we’re surprised he’s blossoming over a longer distance but it’s not too surprising when you start looking at the bloodlines."

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi had suggested earlier this week that the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot would be a possible aim for Stay Foolish, although he added that he would need to consult with the owners. Yoshida jnr was also non-committal, replying: "I’ll speak to the trainer about what’s next."

Yoshito Yahagi trained three winners at Meydan on Saturday, including Panthalassa who dead heated in the Dubai TurfCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Yoshidas also comprise Sunday Racing, whose Shahryar looks to be one of the final and most potent flagbearers for Sunday Silence's greatest heir, the late Deep Impact, as he set himself up for the world's biggest prizes after the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Bathrat Leon, who caused a monumental upset when stringing out his rivals from the front in the Godolphin Mile, had kicked off proceedings as the progeny of a family that British racegoers would remember well.

The son of Kizuna is out of an ex-Godolphin New Approach mare, Bathrat Amal, who achieved nothing in two British starts but is a half-sister to Rae Guest’s Cheveley Park winner Serious Attitude, an inspired 7,500gns Tattersalls yearling purchase who also ended up in Japan.

Bathrat Amal was bought for just 8,000gns at the Tattersalls July Sale in 2016 but this colt is the only living foal that breeder Mishima Bokujo has produced.

Panthalassa, who dead-heated with Lord North in the Dubai Turf, is out of the Irish-bred Montjeu mare Miss Pemberley, who raced in Japan.

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