Japan to Stand in Germany After Tokyo Swan Song

Group 1 winner Japan  will retire from racing after he runs in the Japan Cup in association with Longines (G1) early on Nov. 28 and begin his stud career at Gestut Etzean.

The 5-year-old son of Galileo, who won the Juddmonte International (G1) and Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (G1) at 3, has been purchased by Etzean and partners, although Coolmore retain part-ownership.

"We wanted to find a high-caliber stallion to give German breeders access to the best bloodlines but in order to do this we needed partners so we have joined with Gestut Farhof and Mr. and Mrs. Matusche, who are clients of ours and keep mares with us. They were very keen to support us and Coolmore remain part-owners," explained Ralf Kredel, Etzean's stud director.

The recent death of the farm's leading sire Lord of England, whose Deutsches Derby (G1)-winning son Isfahan  has sired this season's Deutsches Derby winner Sisfahan  in his first crop, provided the impetus behind the search for a new stallion and Etzean's experiences with Lord of England's sire Dashing Blade encouraged them to cast a wide net when searching for their new recruit.

"We lost our top sire Lord of England last month and we were looking for a horse with an international profile to stand," Kredel said. "We imported Dashing Blade, who was a group 1-winning 2-year-old in England and Ireland, and he became a very successful stallion, and we are excited that Japan can be similarly successful."

Bred by Newsells Park Stud out of their extraordinary producer Shastye, Japan made 1.3 million guineas (US$1,807,124) at the Tattersalls October Book 1 Sale to M.V. Magnier and went on to win the Beresford Stakes (G2) at 2 for Aidan O'Brien. That juvenile success was an important component of what Kredel and Etzean wanted in their new stallion.

"We think that his best distance was 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) and although he can stay, he is not a total stayer. It's very important for us to have a stallion who is a group winner at 2, to bring a little bit of early class."

The Sadler's Wells line has flourished through descendants of his son, the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) winner In the Wings, whose son Adlerflug sired this season's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Torquator Tasso  and In Swoop , who beat him in the 2020 Deutsches Derby.

Etzean has previously successfully stood stallions from this line and Kredel believes that Japan has the right credentials to be successful in Germany.

"The Sadler's Wells line has generally done very well in Germany. We previously stood both Sholokhov and Jukebox Jury, who both produced group 1 winners on the flat," he added.

"We believe that Japan will be a good match for German mares as his pedigree includes two of the best German families—Allegretta and Schonbrun—so many breeders will be able to almost duplicate those families by using him.

"Japan has a great page and the Galileo-Danehill cross is responsible for successful stallions such as Frankel , Teofilo , and now Galiway , who has started well in France."

That pedigree includes Japan's full brother Mogul , who won the Grand Prix de Paris and Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1), and their full sister Secret Gesture , winner of the Betfred Middleton Stakes (G2) and second in both the Investec Epsom Oaks (G1) and Henkel-Preis der Diana-Deutsches Stuten-Derby (German Oaks, G1).

Dam Shastye was second in the listed Totesport.com Pontefract Castle Stakes and is a half sister to the Arc winner Sagamix and the Criterium de Saint-Cloud (G1) winner Sagacity. She is also a half sister to the dam of Sageburg, winner of the Prix d'Ispahan (G1), and it is the family of Perfect Power , victorious in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1) and Darley Prix Morny (G1) this year.

"There is a lack of decent stallions in Germany now after the deaths of Lord of England and Adlerflug and both Soldier Hollow  and Areion  are old. We are looking for a new star and hopefully Japan will be the one," Kredel concluded.