No Nay Never Firster Debuts Victoriously in Japan

[Wandering Eyes]

Unicorn Lion (Ire) (No Nay Never) was all the rage when making his career debut over 1800 metres Sunday at Kyoto Racecourse, and he gave those that crushed him into 1.7 (7-10) favouritism some anxious moments in the straight before digging in to post a half-length success (see below, gate 13).

Trained by Yoshio Yahagi for Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd., the dark bay was away without incident from his high draw and showed good early speed to press the pace from close up in second. Asked for some acceleration on the swing for home, Unicorn Lion wanted to lay in approaching the furlong marker, at which point he was taken on by 78-1 roughie Hokko Mevius (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), but he repelled that challenge and went on to score narrowly while racing on his incorrect lead through the wire.

Bred by Desert Star Phoenix JVC, the breeding arm of the China Horse Club, Unicorn Lion was consigned by Baroda Stud & Colbinstown Stud to the 2017 Tattersalls October Book 1 sale and was hammered down to J.S. Company for 850,000gns (about US$1,184,972), easily the most expensive of No Nay Never’s 61 first-crop yearlings (from 67 through the ring) reported as sold in 2017.

Unicorn Lion is one of four winners from as many to race from Muravka (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who first produce was the late The Wow Signal (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Ire}), winner of the 2014 G1 Darley Prix Morny and G2 Coventry S. en route to being named champion of his generation in France. The mare’s third foal was Miss Infinity (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), a stakes winner at two in France in 2016, third in the G2 Shadwell Rockfel S. and Group 3-placed in Germany, who was purchased by Laurent Benoit’s Broadhurst Agency for 425,000gns at Tattersalls December in 2017. Back in foal to Starspangledbanner, Muravka was also offered at TATDEM, selling to Barronstown Stud for 950,000gns (about US$1,123,280). Her last listed produced is a 2-year-old full-sister to Unicorn Lion that fetched €130,000–also from the Broadhust Agency–as a foal at Goffs November in 2017.

Unicorn Lion, the first of his sire’s progeny to race in Japan, is one of 34 first-crop winners to date. Among No Nay Never’s six black-type winners are G1 Middle Park S. hero Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and G2 Richmond S. winner Land Force (Ire).

WATCH: Unicorn Lion opens his account at first asking at Kyoto

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