Chestnut colt, a full brother to Champion Sottsass, made all the running under Ryusei Sakai
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Special for Turf Diario).- Master Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi once again shined at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, this time with Shin Emperor (Siyouni), who delivered a commanding performance in the Howden Neom Turf Cup (G2, 2100m, turf), a $2 million event that served as a prelude to what would come later with Forever Young (Real Steel) in the Saudi Cup (G1).
For Yahagi, it marked his fifth victory at the Saudi Cup meeting, where he had already celebrated with Panthalassa (Lord Kanaloa) in last year’s main event. Now, his new star is Shin Emperor, a full brother to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Sottsass, who attempted to follow in his sibling’s footsteps last season but ultimately settled for second in the Japan Cup (G1) after a globetrotting campaign.
Ridden by Ryusei Sakai, the chestnut son of Siyouni went straight to the lead, closely tracked by Ireland’s Trustyourinstinct (Churchill). But once they hit the home stretch, Shin Emperor powered away and was never threatened, crossing the wire 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Germany’s Calif (Areion) and France’s Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) in 2:07.743.
After the race, Yahagi said: "Shin Emperor was, without a doubt, the best horse in the race. Our strategy was clear: if he broke well, he needed to take the lead to avoid any trouble or interference.
"At the 200-meter mark, I was already convinced he would win. Given the track conditions and the course layout, we felt that going forward would be an advantage. Since he finished second in the Japan Cup last year, this race had been our target. He’s a very versatile horse, capable of handling different distances, so I’d love for someone to tell me what his ideal trip actually is. Our next goal will be the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) at Meydan, but beyond that, we need to discuss with the owner. Personally, I’d love to take him to Ascot and York."
For his part, Sakai added: "The plan was to go forward, and the horse traveled very comfortably and relaxed the entire way, so I was always confident. Another horse moved up on the outside, but mine was simply superior, so I had no concerns. I knew he was going to win".
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