Maurice to join Arrowfield's roster in 2017
Arrowfield Stud is delighted to confirm that Sunday evening’s brilliant LONGINES Hong Kong Cup 2000m G1 winner Maurice will shuttle to Arrowfield from the 2017 southern hemisphere breeding season.
The five-year-old sealed his magnificent career with a dominant, three-length victory in 2:00.95, defeating Secret Weapon and Japanese-breds Staphanos & Lovely Day.
Arrowfield’s Chairman John Messara said after the race, “Everything that Maurice will bring to Australian breeding was on display tonight, an arresting physique and formidable speed, a great competitive spirit and so much class.
“We congratulate Kazumi and Katsumi Yoshida on another major international victory for Japan and look forward to adding new successes to our long-standing relationship with the Yoshida family.”
Hong Kong racecaller Brett Davis described Maurice after the race, “An absolute champion, Maurice has taken Sha Tin by storm, three starts, three wins, he’s too big, too strong, too good, what an outstanding horse.” Maurice’s six Group 1 wins also include the 2015 Hong Kong Mile G1 and the Hong Kong Champions Mile G1 earlier this year.
Winning rider Ryan Moore, recently crowned LONGINES World’s Best Jockey for the second time, said, “There was a good pace to the race, and going down the backstretch I thought things were going well, it was just a question of finding a way through.
“When I asked him, he picked up, and really he got to the front almost too soon. He was a special horse at a mile, and at ten furlongs he’s even better. He has improved every time I have ridden him.
“Fortunately there was good pace in the race and halfway down the back I thought it was sitting up nicely for him and it was just a matter of finding the room. As soon as he got room and I put him into gear he just let down exceptionally well.”
Maurice (Screen Hero-Mejiro Frances by Carnegie) will stand at Arrowfield alongside champion sire Redoute’s Choice, his sons Snitzel & Not A Single Doubt, and another Shadai stallion, dual Group 1 winner Real Impact, bred and raced by Katsumi Yoshida.
Maurice retires after 18 starts with a record of 11 wins, six at Group 1 level over 1600 and 2000 metres, and more than $12 million prizemoney. He currently sits inside the top 10 on the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings with a figure of 124.
Maurice was named Japan’s 2015 Horse of the Year, Champion Sprinter & Champion Miler and is surely in line for further honours after three Group 1 successes in 2016, two at Sha Tin and last month’s Tokyo Tenno Sho.
Japanese-owned horses have now won 12 Hong Kong International Races, with their versatility more evident as home-breds have begun to dominate their representation. The winners of the last two Cups (Maurice & A Shin Hikari), this year’s Vase (Satono Crown), last year’s Mile (Maurice) and the 2012 & 2013 Sprints (Lord Kanaloa) were all bred in Japan.
