FINE NEEDLE’S win in the Grade 2 Centaur Stakes on September 10th was significant for two reasons; not only did the four-year-old Darley homebred bank the $600,000 winner’s purse but he also earned a starting berth in the $2,000,000 Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes in Nakayama on October 1st.

Based upon the manner of his win last week, he is likely to take prominent order in the betting for the top-level sprint next month.

The son of Admire Moon had been unlucky on his previous start at Kokura where he finished fifth in the Grade 3 Kitakyushu Kinen. On that occasion, his rider Mirco Demuro was unable to thread a clear path to the front in what was an extremely congested 18-runner field.

However, last Sunday the race unfolded beautifully with Fine Needle (2/1F) breaking smartly from stall seven, allowing Demuro to adopt an early stalking position in third. The result was never in doubt as the duo turned for home, and they surged clear under hands and heels to win by one and a quarter lengths.

It was Sheikh Mohammed’s 50th win in the JRA this year, which has increased his 2017 racetrack earnings to more than $13,000,000. In addition, he has also won nine races in the NAR.

Earlier this year Fine Needle won the Minazuki Stakes and the Aquamarine Stakes and he has already earned more than $1,000,000 in 2017.

REVIVAL

His sire Admire Moon, who stands at Darley Japan, is having somewhat of a revival to his stud career this season. Seiun Kosei, who is another son of the triple Grade 1 winner, won the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in the spring and will likely line up against Fine Needle next month.

Admire Moon’s progeny have won a total of 152 races in Japan this year and he is currently sixth among active turf sires in Japan when ranked by total earnings. However, when ranked by the average earnings index, he is second, even ahead of the ever dominant Deep Impact.

Fine Needle is out of Needlecraft (Mark Of Esteem) who won the Group 3 Prix Chloe in 2005. Sent to Japan in 2011, Needlecraft has already produced two winners in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. She has a yearling filly by Daiwa Major and a weanling filly who is a full-sister to Fine Needle. She is currently in foal to Tokyo Yushun winner Deep Brillante.

Fine Needle’s win also provided a timely boost for the Japanese arm of the Godolphin operation. He is their first graded winner since Decipher won the Grade 2 American Jockey Club Cup in January of 2016.