A three-quarter brother to Deep Impact sparked stunning gains at the Japan Racing Horse Association Select Foal Sale on Tuesday.

The session-topping Neo Universe colt realised Y250 million from the consignment of Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm.  He was knocked down to agent Nobutaka Tada who was acting for long-time client Hidetoshi Yamamoto and show business executive Yasushi Kubota.

The same partnership also bought the Deep Impact – Air Groove colt that topped Monday’s yearling sale at Y360,000 million.

Tada was the under-bidder for Deep Impact when he was sold as a foal.  “They reminded me of Deep Impact,” Tada said.  “The owners really wanted both of them.”

Trade for Tuesday’s foal session reached of Y4,447 million which was an increase of 33% from the 2010 figures.  The select sale returns had declined for the past four years prior to this year’s revival.  

“Japan has come back,” declared JRHA Vice Chairman and Shadai Farm owner Teruya Yoshida with a broad smile.  “Japanese-breds are world-class.”

Yoshida and other sale officials could not point to a specific reason why buyers were so enthusiastic while Japan’s economy faces ongoing challenges following the earthquake and tsunami disasters.

Deep Impact continued to cast a long shadow over the sale.  In addition to his three-quarter brother that topped all others, the Sunday Silence champion sired three of the five other foals that drew bids of at least Y82-million.

Currency converter:  Yen 1 million = AUD 11,608