THE Group 3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes marked the first opportunity of the season for group race honours for juveniles.

Second-favourite Aster Pegasus, in the hands of 23-year-old rider Ryoya Kozaki, proved too strong for the 16-runner field over the 1200 metre trip. The success marked the first graded success for the jockey who is enjoying a fruitful season, currently on the 21-winner mark. Aster Pegasus also became the first graded winner for his owner, Hisae Kato.

Sourced in the 2017 edition of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale, Aster Pegasus was purchased for $150,000. The February born colt is by Giant’s Causeway out of the Grade 1 juvenile-winning dirt mare R Heat Lightning.

Love Me Fine filled the runner-up spot, failing by just a nose at the wire. An impressive debut winner, Love Me Fine continued the promising run of form for her freshman sire Just A Way. He is currently leading the first season sire’s list and fourth in the overall two-year-old list with four individual JRA winners.

Deep Impact’s stock continues to rise

EUROPEAN attention on Japan’s Champion Sire continues to gain traction with the exploits of Saxon Warrior and Study of Man. Tosen Stardom has been advertising Deep Impact’s name at the highest level in Australia.

As the southern hemisphere covering season looms, Shadai Stallion Station prepare to receive in the region of 15 mares to visit Deep Impact. In 2018, his northern hemisphere covering fee was 40 million Yen (€308,000), making him the most expensive publicly advertised stallion in the world.

Australian equine jewel Vegas Showgirl has recently arrived to the land of the rising sun and will shortly finish her quarantine requirements before being covered by Deep Impact.

She is better known as the dam of current highest-rated horse in the world, 18-time Group 1 winner Winx.

Moreira granted short-term licence

A REGULAR to summer JRA racing, Joao Moreira has been granted a licence to ride in Japan from July 28th to August 24th. He will be based out of the Miho training centre and predominantly ride for trainer Noriyuki Hori and owner Kazuko Yoshida.

A record-breaking jockey in Hong Kong, Moreira made the shock announcement in June that he intends to move farther east to ply his trade in the confines of the JRA. The Brazilian will attempt to become just the third foreign born jockey to hold a full-time JRA licence. Christophe Lemaire and Mirco Demuro currently hold full-time licences to ride in Japan.

The JRA licencing application includes two demanding examinations. A written exam on topics including regulations, rules of racing, Japanese racing history and racing statistics. If successful in part one, the applicant will then move on to an interview with JRA officials to test their Japanese language proficiency.

On his first weekend in this stint in Japan, Moreira marked his arrival in his usual fashion. He rode seven winners and four places across the weekend at Sapporo Racecourse. Moreira can boast a quite incredible record in the JRA. 45 winners from a 147 rides, 30.6% winners to rides. His record of top-three finishes to rides stands at 58.5%.

In his first foray into racing in Japan, leading Australian jockey Brenton Avdulla will join Moreira in the weigh room on a short-term licence.

His licence will be valid from August 4th to September 2nd. He will predominantly ride for Yasutoshi Ikee and Katsumi Yoshida, based out of the JRA training facility in Ritto.

Yushun adds Rainbow Line to roster

WINNER of the 2018 Tenno Sho (Spring), Rainbow Line was forced into retirement with a tendon injury which he suffered in the Group 1 event. It has been announced that he will stand at Yushun Stallion Station for the 2019 breeding season.

Rainbow Line is by deceased stallion Stay Gold out of the 16-year-old French Deputy mare Regenbogen. She herself was a one-time winner in the JRA as a three-year-old over 1800 metres. Other progeny of note include Animate Bio, a Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed filly.

Stay Gold was a leading stallion within the Japanese stud ranks until his death in 2015. He covered 122 mares in 2014 and one mare in 2015.