Maurice powers up in Japan & Australia

Japan's Horse of the Year and now Group 1 sire Maurice has returned to Arrowfield for his fourth Australian season. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)

Four new Japanese 2YO winners in two days and his second Australian trial winner give the vendors of Maurice’s second-crop Southern Hemisphere yearlings much to smile about.

Bred by Tony Muollo, Maurice’s Medad is out of a half-sister to Group 1 winners Press Statement & Pressday. (PHOTO: Lisa Grimm)

The good-looking colt Maurice’s Medad (ex Presslist by Librettist) followed up his trial 2nd a fortnight ago with a strong effort to score right on the line at the Official 2YO Trials in Sydney on Monday morning. He stopped the clock at 50.65 seconds for the 850-metre dash.

Maurice’s Arrowfield-bred daughter I Love Lucy (ex Lustrous by Flying Spur) won a Randwick trial on 8 September. 

Trainer Bjorn Baker said, “I wish I had more horses in the stable with the father being Maurice! He’s the shining light of my two-year-olds at present.”

Maurice’s Medad is a Magic Millions graduate, bought for $250,000 by Bjorn Baker Racing & Clarke Racing from the Vinery Stud draft.

The Japanese superstar has made a great start to his stud career at home and after four wins over Japan’s long holiday weekend, Maurice has 14 individual winners and heads the First Season Sires’ Premiership.

The filly Coco Crush (ex Admire Marilyn by Sunday Silence’s son Agnes Tachyon) won a 1200-metre maiden at Chukyo on Sunday by 1.25 lengths in 1:10. 

On Monday Maurice stepped up the pace considerably, unveiling his 12th, 13th and 14th winners in rapid succession.

Polestar (ex Primus by Fuji Kiseki) won over 1400 metres at Chukyo and he was soon followed by the Northern Farm-bred pair Zodiac Sign (ex Reinette Groove by King Kamehameha) & Bloemendaal (ex Blumenblatt by Admire Vega) at Nakayama.

Zodiac Sign is from a prolific stakes-winning Japanese family whose members include Group winners Cecchino, Codino, Lord My Way & King’s Trail.

Bloemendaal is not only out of a Group 1 miler, he’s also from the family of Champion US racehorse & sire Cozzene, and Australian Group winners Swift Alliance, Sultry Feeling & Rock Sturdy.

Maurice has three initial crops in Australia that are now 2YOs, yearlings and 2020 foals but was kept in Japan this year because of Covid-induced transport uncertainties.

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