Japanese freshman Duramente's first runner blows away his rivals

Breeding enthusiasts in Europe might have been starved of first-season sire action with the cancellation of racing due to government restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus, but Japan has witnessed an explosive start from the freshman class of 2020.

Tosen Warrior, the first ever runner for dual Classic winner Duramente, blew away the opposition to land a four-furlong race for newcomers on the dirt at Urawa by five lengths on Friday.

He beat into second Hoyo Crystal, a colt from the first Japanese-conceived crop of 2,000 Guineas winner Makfi, who formerly stood at Tweenhills and Haras de Bonneval but was sold by Qatar Bloodstock to stand at the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association for the 2017 breeding season.

Tosen Warrior is trained by Satoshi Kokubo for Japan Health Summit Co Ltd, who purchased the colt for 42 million yen (£315,920/€360,970) as a foal at the JRHA Select Sale in 2018.

He is one of 191 foals from the first crop of Duramente, the result of the sire covering 284 mares in his first season at Shadai Stallion Station in 2017, then a record book size in Japan.

Duramente's popularity was due to his outstanding race record and pedigree.

The son of King Kamehameha was an impressive winner of the Satsuki Sho (2,000 Guineas) and Tokyo Yushun (Derby) but sat out the rest of his Classic season due to bone chips in his front legs.

Nevertheless, those efforts still saw him crowned Japan's champion three-year-old colt.

He returned at four with victory in a Grade 2 at Nakayama before finding only Postponed too good in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan and finishing a neck second to Marialite in the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin.

Duramente is out of Admire Groove, a daughter of Sunday Silence who was champion older mare in Japan in 2004. Admire Groove was out of another champion in Air Groove – also dam of dual Grade 1 scorer Rulership – and Air Groove was in turn out of champion two-year-old Dyna Carle.

Duramente was advertised for the 2020 breeding season at a fee of 7 million yen (£52,650/€60,160).

Tosen Warrior, out of the Listed-placed French Deputy mare Anzuchan, is inbred 3x4 to both Kingmambo and Sunday Silence as Duramente is by a son of Kingmambo (King Kamehameha) out of a Sunday Silence mare and so is Anzuchan's dam Paradise Bird, whose sire is El Condor Pasa.

There was only one two-year-old race held in Britain and Ireland before racing was put on hold due to lockdown and it featured two first-season sire runners, with The Blue Panther, by Buratino, finishing third, and Boasting, by Prince Of Lir, running fifth behind the winner, the Dawn Approach colt Poetic Flare.

Read our Life in Lockdown Q&As with industry figures

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Simon Kerins: 'We'll embrace any format that will help get horses sold'

Barry Lynch: 'The industry has often bounced back as quickly as it dipped'

Tim Lane: 'Working with horses does you the world of good in these times'

Jerry Horan: 'My sister butchered my haircut. I think it was payback'

Violet Hesketh and Mimi Wadham: 'Social distancing isn't hard - just lonely!'

Henry Beeby: 'Nick Nugent and I have entered a beard growing competition'

Charles O'Neill: 'ITM will be ready to go when the markets open up again'

Freddy Powell: 'We're improving our online sale platform in case it's needed'

Bumble Mitchell: 'Online sales could be tricky for outlying studs like mine'