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The Sunday Racing-owned Shahryar scores narrow win in Tokyo Yushun
Sunday’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (Gr 1, 2400m) at Tokyo was won by Shahryar (3 c ex Dubai Majesty by Essence Of Dubai) who became the 49th Grade 1 winner and seventh Japanese Derby winner for the late Deep Impact (Sunday Silence).
Fourth favorite Shahryar demonstrated terrific late speed to renew the race record by 0.1 second, claiming his first Group 1 victory race, defeating Efforia (Epiphaneia) by a nose with Stella Veloce (Bago) another length and a quarter away in third.
“It’s so great to have won the Derby which I had made it my target with this colt ever since his debut. We were keeping an eye on the race favorite but the race didn’t go as smoothly as planned and we were in a tight spot so we were forced to make our charge late, but this colt really gave a terrific effort,” said winning jockey Yuichi Fukunaga.
A brother to 2017 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Al Ain, Shahryar won his only start as a two-year-old in October last year and was third to Efforia in the Kyodo News Hai (Gr 3, 1800m) in February then came off his first grade-race victory which was in record time in the Mainichi Hai (Gr 3, 1800m) on March 27.
He becomes the seventh Japanese Derby winner for sire Deep Impact after Deep Brillante (2012), Kizuna (2013), Makahiki (2016), Wagnerian (2018), Roger Barows (2019) and Contrail (2020).
Shahryar dam is the Grade 1 winner Dubai Majesty (Essence Of Dubai) who is herself a half-sister to the multiple Listed winner Majestic Dinner (Formal Dinner).
The Shadai Stallion Station-based Deep Impact died in 2019.