Coolmore Stud Stakes Triple Treat For Waller

While the victory of Japonisme was the first success for the cerise silks of the Ingham Family since joining the Chris Waller stable, it was the third consecutive victory in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes for Waller. With all the talk surrounding Godolphin’s Group 1-winning colt Exosphere, who started a short priced favourite in the 1200m sprint, the market was so polarised that the next in the betting was the Redoute’s Choice colt Counterattack at double figure odds. A winner of his first four starts this campaign highlighted by the Group 3 San Domencio Stakes victory over Vancouver, followed by a fourth and third behind Exosphere, jockey Glyn Schofield jumped Japonisme from barrier three and headed to the inside rail, settling behind race leader Super One. As Counterattack hit the lead at the 200m mark and Exosphere started to struggle, Japonisme darted along the rail, pulling away to give Choisir his eighth Group 1 winner. “We never built ourselves up because we have so much respect for Exosphere. We’ve also got respect for the Flemington straight. It’s a race like no other, the 1200-metre straight, and I think you’ve got to prepare well for it, which he did.” “He had a nice jump-out down the straight which is a proven formula for our horses in the last three years for this race. We hadn’t changed anything, knowing what works and I think that is a big help. It was a great, patient ride, and it is my first Group 1 win for the Ingham’s.” Winning the race in 2013 with Zoustar before victory last year with Brazen Beau, both of which are now standing at stud, the options are very open for gelding Japonisme, who could follow in the path of the previous two winners and head to Royal Ascot next year. Race sponsor Coolmore Stud had plenty to celebrate, as not only was the winner sired by one of their own in Choisir, but Haiku, the dam of the winner is by their now retired Champion Sire Encosta de Lago, and was sold as a yearling to the Ingham Family at the Easter Yearling Sale from their draft. Haiku has been sold on two occasions since the foaling of Japonisme, most recently purchased by Paul Guy’s Heritage Bloodstock at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for only $27,500 carrying a positive to Newgate Farm’s The Factor. The current two-year-old out of the mare by Stryker, a filly named Come On Vague was retained to race by the Ingham Family in the care of Chris Waller, while the current yearling, a full-sister to Japonisme was sold at this year’s Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale for a bargain price of $10,000 to Anthony Ottobre who has decided to retain the filly to race. Back to Newsletter