First top-level winner for Gold Ship as Uberleben strikes in Japanese Oaks

Third favourite Uberleben pulled out all the stops to the Group 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) on Sunday, and in doing so became the first top-level winner for her sire Gold Ship.

Settled near the back of the 18-runner field at Tokyo, Uberleben advanced on the outside before hitting the front up the home straight to hold the second favourite Akaitorino Musume by a length, with outsider Hagino Pilina a nose back in third

The previously unbeaten all-white Sodashi, the Oka Sho winner who was sent off the 9-10 hot favourite, finished four and a quarter lengths adrift in eighth.

Winning rider Mirco Demuro said: "I'm impressed and very happy. She was not in good shape for a while but she looked great in the paddock today. I couldn't wait to get on her.

"Her start was quick but everyone went fast so I settled her in rear. I thought I was too far behind but when the pace quickened round the corner she travelled up easily. She idled at the front but her stamina got her home today."

Trainer Takahisa Tezuka added: "She lost weight in the previous race so I didn't do too much with her in the build-up. Her condition this week was the best since her debut. When she took the lead a little bit early I prayed she would hang in there."

Uberleben is out of the winning Roses In May mare Meine Theresia and was collecting her second success from seven starts. The filly is owned by Thoroughbred Club Ruffian and was bred by the Big Red Farm in Hokkaido established by Shigeyuki Okada, who died in March.

Gold Ship, a multiple Grade 1 scorer and winner of the Japanese 2,000 Guineas, was notching up a significant first top-level success having previously been responsible for the Grade 3-winning Black Hole and the Listed victress Win Mighty, who was also third in last year's Japanese Oaks behind Daring Tact.

The son of the top-class middle-distance performer Stay Gold - who beat Fantastic Light in the Dubai Sheema Classic and also struck in the Hong Kong Vase - currently stands at the Big Red Farm.

Hayato Yoshida, rider of favourite Sodashi, who was stepping up half a mile in trip from the Japanese 1,000 Guineas, pondered: "Would it be the distance?"

He added: "I rode her to try to get the trip. There's always another race and so I would like to rebuild her from scratch. She was an unbeaten all-white horse so was the hot topic, and I am sorry for not being able to meet expectations."

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