For the first time in history, Fipke’s Shirl’s Speight will run on February S. In Japan
Charles Fipke and . Class I Winner ‘TDN’s Rising Star’ Shirl’s Spect (Sightstown) will become the first foreign horse ever to run in Japan’s G1 February S., Fipke advisor Sid Fernando confirmed to TDN Thursday afternoon. Set for February 19, a race over a mile long on dirt roads, coaches Roger Attfield and Fipke are both set to move to the Tokyo show.
“He’s going,” Fernando said of GI Maker’s hero Mark Mile in 2022. “He’s doing well with Roger Attfield in Florida.”
February S. is one of only two Group 1 races along with the Championship Cup run by the Japan Racing Association (JRA) on dirt roads, but the competition is equally fierce, as was the race of the year. last Japanese Champion Dirt Horse, Café Pharoah (American Pharoahwho won the year-end prize in part by setting a new bet record of 1:33.80 in the 2022 edition, his second straight win in the event.
He said: “To participate in this race is a very complicated thing, because unlike other races which are usually international races which are by invitation, this is not by invitation. . “We had to nominate, get accepted, etc. Then Mr. Fipke had to pay everything to get there. It’s also a pretty expensive proposition.”
The importance of the Fipke team’s February S. effort is not lost on Fernando, who said of Fipke’s vision, “[It’s] really two things – he’s one of the few North American owners to actually be licensed to race in Japan. That’s number one. Second, he also raises a few mares in Japan each year. He has a good relationship with Northern Farm and Katsumi Yoshida. He also has a track and field athlete in Japan who last year won a few races–Kana Tape (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and he is an adventurer. He is a guy who is very interested in the international game. He has raced in South Africa before and was bred in South Africa. He’s an Australian horseman, won last year’s races in Australia, races in Dubai. His entire career was built on a series of adventures and exploration of diamond mines. All of this is in keeping with his sensibilities.
“And, on top of that, he also wants to try to win the dirt road 1st place race with Shirl’s Speight. With his Japanese connections and everything, he’s presenting the horse over there as a potential stallion prospect, not that he’s going to sell the horse or anything. For Japanese breeders, it is contact.
A versatile runner, son of GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Perfect Shirl shock (Ire Perfect Shirl) hasn’t been on the track since running second best against the Eclipse Champion Turf Men’s Modern Game (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire} ) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland in November. Shirl’s Speight was the classified winner on two surfaces, having won the GIII Marine S. Woodbine’s all-weather as a teenager. GIII Tampa Bay S. on the pitch went on to 4th with his Maker’s Mark heroics, and most encouragingly the 5-year-old came in third in the GIII Salvator Mile S. on the road. Monmouth main race last June.
A key point in the Fipke camp’s confines is their driver selection for S February 2023. It’s none other than legendary Brazilian driver Joao “Magic Man” Moreira, a four-time Hong Kong champion racer. Kong, signed a contract to participate in the 5-year-old race. Moreira took home 76 winners from 217 starts in 2018, the year he mostly competed in Japan.
Fernando added, “We hired the Magic Man, Joao Moreira to ride. He has a [job] ride in Australia two weeks before he goes to Japan with [Australian Champion Trainer Chris] Waller.”
Shirl’s Speight’s international events won’t end in Japan either, as Fernando has revealed that the 1800-meter G1 Dubai Turf on grass at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 25 will be next. follow the dance list of the whole team.
“The bigger plan is that he will go there, then he will fly to Dubai to participate in the 1800 meters Group 1 race on grass in Dubai on the day Dubai hosts the World Cup,” said Fernando.
“It’s a very complicated logistical issue with quarantines, flights, etc,” Fernando said. “I have to scream to [Fipke’s] administrative assistant Fawn Seminoff, who really did a great job organizing all the moving parts.”
Goals set for budding stars
Fipke also has plenty of international opportunities in 2023, alongside his steady star. He won the most recent Dundalk synthesis on Wednesday night while home-breeding Stormy entry (Point Of Entry), son of bridesmaid GI Natalma S. of Fipke Stormy Perfection (Tale of the Cat), won the seven-fur nightgown. Also, Ireland is listed heroine God Gal (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who brought Fipke to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in Keeneland, will prepare for the run in the G1 French 1000 Guineas in May.
“He has horses in Europe – in fact he just won a race last night, at Dundalk, a Point Of Entry pony,” Fernando said. “And he had a winning game by Invincible Spirit (Ire), God Gal (Fr)it is with Andre Fabre and is being prepared for the G1 French 1000 Guineas.”
Back in 2017, purebred Fipke, finally GI Metropolitan H. winner and boar Bee shirt (Jersey Town) runner-up behind G1 Dubai World Cup double winner followed by Thunder Snow (Ire) ({Aus} Helmet) in G3 UAE 2000 Guineas. Fast forward to December 23, 2022 and Bee shirt pony girl’s bee graduate at first ask at Meydan. Trained by ex-American Doug Watson, the chestnut is aiming for a better one for his man on February 10.
Fernando said, “He has Shirl’s Bee, who got a really impressive debut win there and will be next in [G3] United Arab Emirates 2000 Guineas.
For Fipke, 2023 will be a year dedicated to exploring the next frontier in the Purebred world starting with an exclusive visit to Japan.
