“Why Hitotsu?” says Arrowfield Stud “because he fits the 21st century mould of the class stallion in Australasia, and that is, he’s the well-bred Classic 3YO with elite speed.”
“Look at Dundeel, So You Think and Savabeel – all are Group 1 winners beyond 2000m, and all with undoubted class among Australia’s current top 10 sires on the Earnings Premiership.”
“They rate highly on the Black Type Leaderboard, with Dundeel being amongst the leading 2YO sires as well as being the current leading Australasian sire at 1600m-2000m.”
“In a stellar season, of a stellar career, Savabeel sired the TJ Smith winner I Wish I Win, while the globe-trotting champion So You Think claims the Stradbroke winner, the exciting Think About It.”
“Likewise, Maurice was a champion miler but wins in the Tenno Sho and Hong Kong Cup, both at 2000m at his final two starts, confirmed not only his stamina, but his versatility and class.”
“Now, he has already sired two Group 1 winners at 1200m, and three, including Hitotsu, at 2000m-plus, and his latest stakes winners are 2yo’s Azula & Namesake, both at 1300m and 1500m.”
Retiring to Arrowfield Stud in the Hunter Valley, co-trainer Ciaron Maher was positive in rating Hitotsu as “one of the most talented horses I’ve ever trained, with his lung capacity certainly elite.”
“His tracking data indicates his top speed was elite, amongst the best he’s ever had and maybe even superior to Group 1 winning sprinters Coolangatta and Bella Nipotina,” said Ciaron Maher.
“His lung capacity was certainly elite as he won an Australian Derby off one start and the Group 1 Australian Guineas, no less, while he data in Japan said the same of Maurice.”
The first since Mahogany in 1994 to win the Victoria Derby–Australian Guineas–Australian Derby treble, Hitotsu is the first 3yo since Dundeel to win three consecutive Australian Group 1 events.
In coming off a close fifth in the Caulfield Guineas, and earlier his maiden victory for Cairon Maher and David Eustace, Hitotsu stepped up to 2500m in taking out the Victoria Derby from Allegro.
However, in first up from a 14 week spell, Hitotsu scored along-neck victory in a top-line Australia Guineas field over 1600m on a Soft 6 track at Caulfield, again with John Allen in the saddle.
A month later, and again first-up, it was Hitotsu’s hard-fought neck victory in the $2m Australian Derby of 2400m at Royal Randwick that has him certainly seeking Champion Australian honours.
Be it the Australian Champion 3YO, or even Australian Horse of The Year, its Arrowfield’s principal John Messara ‘who is proud to stand Hitotsu as an Arrowfield-bred star horse returning home.’
In being the best of his Japanese Horse of The Year sire Maurice, he was purchased by Wendy Kelly Racing for $100,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Arrowfield.
As the immediate family of successful sires Love Conquers All and Lean Mean Machine, through his Redoute’s Choice dam, it has John Messara saying ‘a horse whose attributes and pedigrees we know thoroughly and can back enthusiastically with large numbers of our own mares.’
With Hititsu joining the Arrowfield roster, he now stands along fellow home-breds Castelvecchio, The Autumn Sun and Showtime, and while standing alongside his sire Maurice Arrowfield also have fathers-and-sons Snitzel and his son Showtime, and Dundeel and son Castelvecchio.
In fact, 2022-2023 was another golden 12-months for Arrowfield with four-times Champion Sire Snitzel having a season of 18 stakes winners headed by Shinzo as his second Golden Slipper winner.
Snitzel claimed is fourth 2YO Sires’ title with a new record earnings total of over $5 million, achieving a $518,000 yearling sale average and with 10 yearlings selling $1 million and above.
Now having 10 stakes siring sons, it was Invader and Champion 2nd Season sire Russian Revolution who both had Group 1 winners in 2022-23, while being 10th as Champion Broodmare Sire.
With Castelvecchio and Yourdeel launching Dundeel’s Group 1 career, last season it was Militarize in winner the Inglis Sires and Champagne Stakes that headed his season 16 2-year-old winners.
The 2YO Gr1 performers Miracle Of Love, Tannhauser, Townsend had him fifth on the 2YO Sires’ Premiership, with SA Derby winner Dunkel having him sixth on the Champion Sires listings.
Already this season The Autumn Sun head’s the Second Season Sire with Autumn Ballett taking out the Silver Slipper Stakes at Randwick, having last season won the Black Opal Stakes on debut.
Now highly fancied for the Darley Princess Series, Autumn Ballett and listed winner Coco Sun starred amongst The Autumn Sun’s four winners, with his third-crop yearlings selling up to $1.8 million.
