Muramasa wins Group 3 Coongy Cup

Arrowfield and breeding partner GSA Bloodstock celebrated a new graduate Group winner when Muramasa took out Wednesday’s $200,000 MRC Coongy Cup 2000m G3 in faster-than-standard time of 2:01.21.

The 4YO gelding takes Deep Impact’s global tally of stakeswinners to 199 and he is the supersire’s 7th stakeswinner from only 46 Australian runners.

He is also Arrowfield’s fourth graduate stakeswinner this season, following Autumn Ballet (by The Autumn Sun; won Silver Shadow S. G2), Remarque (by Snitzel; Concorde S. G3) & Ganbare (by Maurice; Dulcify S. LR).

Muramasa bursts through the pack to claim the Coongy Cup 💥@busuttin @daniel_moor pic.twitter.com/x2TQE1LeKs

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 18, 2023

Co-trainer Natalie Young said, “He’s bred to get out over further and further and he’s got a turn of foot. Gelding has also helped him. He ran second in a Group 3 last year and he also ran in the Victoria Derby. This time next year he could be set for the bigger races.”

In the meantime, Muramasa will target the 2600-metre Queen Elizabeth S. G3 at Flemington on 11 November. Previous winners include Cup champions Makybe Diva, Might and Power, Hyperno, Rain Lover & Galilee.

Muramasa was a $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase by Busuttin Racing for owners headed by Ozzie Kheir & John O’Neill, who have also enjoyed Group 1 success with Arrowfield graduates Tagaloa and Hitotsu. 

Muramasa is the first foal of Group 2 winner Omei Sword (by High Chaparral from G1 winner Irish Lights), also second in the Golden Rose S. G1 and from the female family of the great American matron Fall Aspen. Omei Sword’s 2YO son by I Am Invincible is a stablemate of Muramasa and the mare has a yearling colt by Snitzel. 

Deep Impact saw very few High Chaparral mares during his stud career, but did leave European Classic winners Auguste Rodin, Snowfall & Saxon Warrior to mares by another Sadler’s Wells son, Galileo.