Japanese galloper Unicorn Lion confirmed to take on Anamoe in Queen Elizabeth Stakes
The internationals will provide formidable opposition for Anamoe in the Queen Elizabeth after confirmation the Japanese trainer who won the 2019 Cox Plate is sending one of his star gallopers.
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Champion Anamoe won’t need to go anywhere to be tested on racing’s international stage because the world is coming to take him on at Royal Randwick.
Japan’s classy Unicorn Lion is the latest overseas raider confirmed for the $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes during The Championships on April 8 – and his flamboyant trainer Yoshito Yahagi plans to be at Randwick for the big race.
Australian Turf Club’s senior executive James Ross revealed Unicorn Lion and stablemate Ho O Amazon will soon go into quarantine and are due in Sydney on March 20.
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These are the first Japanese-trained horses to contest The Championships for three years and will bring the total number of internationals to 20 that will be stabled at the Canterbury Quarantine and Training facility.
Godolphin superstar Anamoe is a dominant Queen Elizabeth favourite at $2.30 but England’s Dubai Honour is on the second line of betting at $11 with Japan’s Unicorn Lion at $15. Ireland’s Raise You is at $51.
As the very classy Dubai Honour did some light exercise at Canterbury trackwork on a still, mild autumn morning on Wednesday, Ross confirmed Unicorn Lion’s entry for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“It is exciting to have a horse of Unicorn Lion’s quality coming for The Championships,’’ Ross said.
“Unicorn Lion is a very diverse horse, he has raced over a number of different distances, and he competed in the Japan Cup over 2400m in November.
“But 2000m is a pet distance for him. He is a multiple Group 3 winner in Japan and probably his peak figure was in the Takarazuka Kinen when he ran second to the amazing filly Chrono Genesis.
“He is a horse that does it all himself. His race style has him taking up the running and I think he will do well.’’
Ross said Ho O Amazon is likely to be aimed at the Group 1 $1.5m All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 15.
“They are trained by, I believe, one of the best trainers not only in Japan but one of the best trainers in the world in Yoshito Yahagi,’’ Ross said.
“He prepared Panthalassa to win the Saudi Cup last weekend and he also won the (2019) Cox Plate with Lys Gracieux.
“To have Unicorn Lion and Ho O Amazon coming to Sydney is significant. This is the first time we have had Japanese participation back at The Championships since 2020 (Danon Premium third in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes to Addeybb).’’
English maestro William Haggas trained Addeybb to win successive Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2020-21 and he is returning with Dubai Honour this autumn.
Haggas is not due to come out until The Championships next month but he has sent his trusted assistant trainer Isabella Paul to Sydney with Dubai Honour and stablemates Purplepay, Protagonist and Earl Of Tyrone for the carnival.
Paul travelled with Addeybb in his two successful Sydney sojourns and said there are obvious comparisons between Dubai Honour and his old stablemate.
“Dubai Honour’s got a very similar profile to Addeybb, he finished second in the (British) Champions Stakes not last year but the year before. He is a very, very smart animal,’’ Paul said.
“He can be quite quirky so in that sense he is a little less straightforward than Addeybb, but again, he’s travelled down great, he’s eating well, I’m really happy with him.
“He’s looked phenomenal all winter. We’ve never had to clip him, his skin is incredible. He’s an exciting horse to watch and to see come through.”
The first of the international raiders to race in Sydney this autumn are likely to be the Haggas-trained mare Purplepay and Ireland’s Statement, trained by Joseph O’Brien, who are being set for the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 11.
$5m QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES (2000m)
Royal Randwick, April 8
$2.30 Anamoe
$11 Dubai Honour, I’m Thunderstruck, Mo’unga, Zaaki
$15 Unicorn Lion, Alenquer, Alligator Blood, Fangirl, Gold Trip, Montefilia
$21 El Bodegon
$26+ others
Source: TAB
Originally published as Japanese galloper Unicorn Lion confirmed to take on Anamoe in Queen Elizabeth Stakes
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