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Helissio Filly Wins Group Race in Japan |
08/03/2002 |
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Three year-old Helissio filly Health Wall (Jpn) won the Group Three Tulip Sho over 1600 metres on turf in Japan on Saturday, beating a crack field including Japan's 2001 champion juvenile filly Tamuro Cherry.
Health Wall took the lead and held on for a half length win from Fuji Kiseki filly Osumi Cosmo and Sunday Silence filly Chapel Concert
The race is a lead-up for the Group One Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) on April 7.
Trained by Hideyuki Mori, Health Wall won the Listed Dahlia Sho last August then placed third in the Group Three Hakodate Nisai Stakes last September, returning from a spell to place fourth in the Group Three Fantasy Stakes.
She is from Spectacular Bid mare Saratoga Flash, the dam of multiple Group placegetter Saratoga Beauty (Jpn), and was bred by Shadai Farm.
"Helissio has had about 18 runners in Japan for eight individual winners, he was second on the first session sire table for 2001," says Widden Stud's Antony Thompson.
"He has only had one runner here to date which is to be expected as Helissio was a champion three-year-old over Classic distances, winning five Group One races including the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe."
Helissio stood at Widden Stud in 1998 and 1999 and his first crop of yearlings fetched up to $240,000 in 2001. He averaged $99,837 for 11 sold at the Australasian major yearling sales with purchasers including Gai Waterhouse, Emirates Park, Noel Mayfield-Smith and Harry Lawton.
"Helissio had such extraordinary ability as a racehorse and it comes as no surprise that his first crop has been so well received in Australia and in Japan, which is the toughest market in the world," Thompson said.
At Magic Millions 2002 Premier sale, five Helissio yearlings averaged $39,500.
Widden Stud will offer two yearlings by Helissio at the forthcoming 2002 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale on April 2, 3 & 4 at Newmarket.
Lot 42 is a colt from US mare Bella Dawn from the family of Ciboulette and Fanfreluche.
"He is a lovely strong colt with good length of rein," says Thompson.
Lot 102 is an exceptionally good-looking half-sister to Stradbroke Hcp winner Rouslan.
"She is a nice style of filly, a big, scopy type - not a two-year-old, more a Classic type, which is to be expected," says Thompson.
Widden Stud Media Release
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