Admire Moon dominates the G3 Silk Road Stakes

Fine Needle beats his paternal half-brothers Seiun Kosei and Fumino Moon at Kyoto

The G3 Silk Road Stakes, run over 1200m on turf at Kyoto, turned into an Admire Moon benefit on Sunday, 28 January when he sired the first three home. Taking the prize was his five-year-old son Fine Needle, who was always travelling strongly from his inside draw, before running on really well to record an easy two-length triumph over his paternal half-brothers Seiun Kosei and Fumino Moon.

This was the second Group victory for Fine Needle in his previous three starts after a win in the G2 Sankei Sho Centaur Stakes at Hanshin last September.

Bred by Darley Japan, Fine Needle is a son of the G3-winning Mark Of Esteem mare Needlecraft, who won Group races in both France and Italy.

Admire Moon, who is standing this season at a fee of 1.5 million yen, enjoyed his best ever year in 2017. With an average earnings index of two on turf he was only beaten by other leading stallions King Kamehameha and Deep Impact. His best performer was today’s second Seiun Kosei, who landed the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen last March.