STELLENBOSCH is a renowned wine region in South Africa, and the name of the winner of the first leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara, the fillies’ version of the Triple Crown.

Victory in the Group 1 Oka Sho-Japanese 1000 Guineas was sweet revenge for the daughter of Epiphaneia (Symboli Kris S), as she won the classic at the expense of last year’s unbeaten two-year-old champion, Ascoli Piceno in the first of the 2024 classics. Last year Stellenbosch finished second to the champion in the Group 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.

The pair matches strides on the backstretch, running side-by-side through the first half of the mile test. Stellenbosch made the first move under Joao Moreira, but on the incline to the finish, Ascoli Piceno and Hiroshi Kitamura laid down their challenge, but it fell three-parts of a length short.

Moreira, a former champion jockey in Hong Kong, said: “She was very impressive. When we were approaching the home turn, we were trapped, but as we passed by the 500-meter marker, we were able to split horses. I was worried she couldn’t sustain her speed all the way to the end. As with all good horses, she has proved to be capable and has given me my second Group 1 win in Japan.”

Stellenbosch’s ended her juvenile season with a record of two wins and two seconds from four starts. Both the first two home were bred by Northern Farm, Stellenbosch racing for Katsumi Yoshida, while Ascoli Piceno is campaigned by Sunday Racing. The final two legs of the Triple Tiara are Group 1 Yushun Himba-Japanese Oak, and the Group 1 Shuka Sho.

Triple Tiara

Epiphaneia sired the first filly to sweep the Triple Tiara while undefeated, Daring Tact in in 2020, while six others have achieved the feat, including Almond Eye and last year’s heroine Liberty Island.

Winner of the Group 1 Kikuka Sho-Japanese St Leger, Epiphaneia is now responsible for 18 stakes winners, three of which has been champions. Daring Tact was one, though her achievements are superseded by those of Horse of the Year Efforia. The Group 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies’ winner Circle Of Life was also champion.

The Rulership (King Kamehameha) mare Bloukrans won three times from nine starts in Japan, and Stellenbosch has given her the perfect start at stud. Though she is the mare’s second foal, she is her first runner. Following on is a two-year-old of Henny Hughes (Hennessy), and a yearling filly by Admire Mars (Daiwa Major).

Bloukrans is one of seven winners out of Land’s Edge (Dance In The Dark), and though none of these won a stakes races, two were placed in group races. One of these was Roca (Harbinger), and she has made a significant recent addition also to the family fortune as she bred last year’s Group 1 Hopeful Stakes winner Regaleira (Suave Richard). That filly has yet to start this year.

Pure gold

The third remove of the family is pure gold in Japan. One name stands out and that is Deep Impact (Alzao), a half-brother to Land’s Edge. Winner of the Japanese Triple Crown in 2004, Deep Impact went on to become one of the most influential stallions in the world. News of his death at the age of just came as a shock to the bloodstock world.

Bred by Northern Farm, as was Stellenbosch, Deep Impact was sold to Makoto Kaneko for ¥70 million (US$580,000) as a foal at the 2002 JHRA Select Foal Sale during a day totally dominated by sons and daughters of Sunday Silence (Halo). Winner of his only start at two, Deep Impact went on to add six straight victories at three, capturing the Triple Crown.

On his final start that season he was beaten for the only time in his career on home soil when narrowly defeated by another son of Sunday Silence, the subsequent Dubai Sheema Classic winner Heart’s Cry.

Adding a pair of Group 1 wins at four, Deep Impact was sent to race outside Japan for the only time in his career, taking on seven opponents in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Despite bringing an incredible number of followers to Paris, the colt found Rail Link and Pride too good on the day, and was beaten less than a length by the winner. Hurricane Run, Sixties Icon and Shirocco finished in arrears.

Redeemed

Subsequently Deep Impact was disqualified and placed last after testing positive for a banned substance. Back in Japan he redeemed himself, winning the Group 1 Japan Cup and Group 1 Arima Kinen before retiring to take up stallion duties Shadai. He won 12 of his 14 starts, was twice rated Horse of the Year, garnered four championship titles and earned almost £7.3 million.

He has enjoyed phenomenal success as a sire, with 59 Group 1 winners. His sons in Europe include Coolmore’s Saxon Warrior, Lanwades’s Study Of Man, while his list of European classic winners include Beauty Parlour, Snowfall, Fancy Blue and Auguste Rodin. The latter is one of 159 group winners and 203 stakes winners sired by Deep Impact.

As a broodmare sire, Deep Impact’s career is still in a relative infancy. However, his daughters have produced Group/Grade 1 winners Kiseki (Rulership), Dolce More (Rulership), Geraldina (Maurice) and Blowout (Dansili). His sire Sunday Silence was exported to Japan where he was leading sire 13 times, surpassing the previous record of 10 titles by Northern Taste.

Barronstown Stud

Deep Impact and Land’s Edge are out of the Irish-bred Wind In Her Hair (Alzao), who was bred by a partnership between Swettenham Stud and Barronstown Stud. She was trained by John Hills and proved to be a smart three-year-old, winning a pair of listed races and running second to Balanchine in the Group 1 Oaks at Epsom. The decision to keep her in training at four was justified when she travelled to Germany and won the Group 1 Aral-Pokal before running third in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks.

As a broodmare Wind In Her Hair bred Deep Impact, US Grade 3 winner Veil Of Avalon (Thunder Gulch) and Japanese listed winners Black Tide (Sunday Silence) and New Beginning (Agnes Tachyon). Her grandsons include Group 1 performers Jeremy (Danehill Dancer) and L’Ile D’Aval (Agnes Tachyon) and she is third dam of the 2017 Group 1 Japanese Derby winner Rey De Oro (King Kamehameha) who later added the Group 1 Tenno Sho to his tally. He was champion at three and champion older horse at four.