TOKYO racecourse, along with over 52,000 spectators, welcomed the first Group 1 of the 2017 season.
The February Stakes was accredited Group 1 status in 1997 and was the richest JRA dirt race until 2000.
The only other Group 1 on dirt in the domestic racing calendar is the Japan Cup Dirt (renamed The Champion’s Cup in 2014) run in early December.
The February Stakes is viewed by the public domestically as the lesser of the two Group 1 dirt events. However, the race continues to narrow the gap with year on year gains in terms of attendance and betting turnover.
Besides the 100,528,000 Yen (€800,000) winner’s prize there is the added incentive for participants with a ‘win and you’re in’ type situation. The winner of the February Stakes will automatically be offered a starting berth at the Breeder’s Cup in November.
In a wide open renewal, the youngest horse in the field of 16 runners, at four years old, was the Osamu Hirata-trained colt, Gold Dream.
In just the ninth start of his career, Gold Dream entered the February Stakes as a JRA Group 3 winner but had somewhat successfully switched to the lesser class of NAR racing to finish third in the unaccredited Japan Dirt Derby in July 2016.
He was last seen on a racetrack finishing a disappointing 12th, when sent off as second favourite, in the season-ending Champion’s Cup in December.
In the February Stakes, punters remained confident and sent the son of Gold Allure off as 4/1 second favourite.
Drawn in stall three, the Mirco Demuro ridden colt broke evenly before settling towards mid-division behind a blistering gallop for the 1,600-metre race.
Demuro always had his mount travelling well before angling wide off the last bend into the home stretch.
Gold Dream imperiously quickened towards what looked like was going to be a comprehensive victory. He was made to knuckle down in the last furlong to fend off the fast-finishing Best Warrior, winning by a neck at the post.
This success marked the 19th JRA Group 1 win for jockey Mirco Demuro.
The Italian-born rider partnered Moanin to victory in the same race in 2016. Trainer Osamu Hirata welcomed Gold Dream as his second Group 1 winner.
His first top-tier win came when Curren Black Hill won the NHK Mile in 2012.
Defending 2016 victor Moanin, ridden this time by Ryan Moore, could do no better than finish a weary 12th in this year’s renewal.
Farewell to
Gold Allure
JUST the day before the February Stakes was to be held, Shadai Stallion Station announced that Gold Dream’s sire, 18-year-old Gold Allure, had died of a suspected heart attack. Gold Allure is now a sire of three individual JRA Group 1 winners, all of these successes coming in the February Stakes: Copano Ricky in 2013 and Espoir City in 2010. Other notable progeny of the son of Sunday Silence include NAR Champion Smart Falcon, winner of in excess of €8,000,000. Into his 13th year at stud, Gold Allure is a proven source of high-class dirt winners in Japan. Consistent successes on the track throughout his career ensured that any of his progeny would be keenly sought after at all of the domestic bloodstock sales.