WHAT a delight to see Oisin Murphy in the winners’ circle following the Group 1 Japan Cup. He won this great race on Suave Richard, and this sixth career win for the five-year-old son of Heart’s Cry (Sunday Silence) brought the horse’s earnings to over £4 million.

This was a second Group 1 victory for the Northern Racing-bred horse as last year he capture the Osaka Hai. As a three-year-old he was knocking on the door of a top-level success, running second in the Group 1 Tokyo Yushun-Japanese Derby. Gaining that breakthrough win at the highest level in 2018, he also placed in the Japan Cup last year. He demonstrated his ability on the international stage too earlier this year, finishing third in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic behind Old Persian and Cheval Grand, with Magic Wand back in fifth.

Suave Richard is one of nine Group 1 winners for Heart’s Cry who gained his biggest success outside his country of birth when he landed the Dubai Sheema Classic in 2006 from Collier Hill, with Ouija Board and Alexander Goldrun further back. He then ran third to Hurricane Run and Electrocutionist at Ascot in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. At home he was runner-up in the Japan Cup and the Japanese Derby.

In 2020 Heart’s Cry’s son Yoshida will commence his stud career in the USA where he is a dual Grade 1 winner. Suave Richard is the second winner of the Japan Cup sired by Heart’s Cry, Cheval Grand winning the 2017 renewal. Lys Gracieux, Admire Rakti and Just A Way have been other international stars by Heart’s Cry who stood at Shadai Stallion Station this year for about €65,000.

In 2004 Katsumi Yoshida bought Career Collection (General Meeting) for $450,000 at the Keeneland November Sale in foal to Unbridled’s Song (Unbridled). The resulting offspring was Pirramimma, the subsequent dam of Suave Richard. Though showing little in two starts, Pirramimma is now dam of seven winners with her first seven foals, the latest being her two-year-old Lunacion (Deep Impact) who won on her debut and only start to date.

Career Collection won the Grade 2 Landaluce Stakes and Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at two and was runner-up in a pair of Grade 1 contests, the Starlet Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.