Deep Bond aims to complete Hanshin Daishoten treble
Tuesday, 12 March, 2024 15:00
Deep Bond (C)netkeiba
Deep Bond, known as the "King of prize money without a win," is set to hunt for his third victory in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten.
The Ryuji Okubo-trained son of Kizuna out of Zephyranthes by King Halo, boasts a record of five wins in 26 starts including the Kyoto Shimbun Hai in 2020, the Hanshin Daishoten in 2021 and 2022, and the Prix Foy in 2021. Additionally, he secured second place in four GI races, including the Tenno Sho (Spring) from 2021 to 2023 and the Arima Kinen in 2021. Remarkably, his prize money has reached 685,058,800 JPY, the highest ever earned by a horse without a GI victory.
In 2021, he surged from off the pace to claim victory in the Hanshin Daishoten by a five-length margin, while in 2022, he rallied from the middle of the pack to overcome the tenacious Iron Barows, securing a convincing win. However, last year, he finished fifth in his attempt to emulate Gold Ship's historic three consecutive victories.
After that, he has maintained strong level of form, including a second placed effort in the Tenno Sho (Spring) and a third in the Kyoto Daishoten. A podium finish in this race will propel his prize money beyond 700 million JPY. It will be intriguing to witness if, with Mirai Iwata as his jockey for the first time, he can lift his third Hanshin Daishoten title, affirming his enduring strength and prowess.
The Ryuji Okubo-trained son of Kizuna out of Zephyranthes by King Halo, boasts a record of five wins in 26 starts including the Kyoto Shimbun Hai in 2020, the Hanshin Daishoten in 2021 and 2022, and the Prix Foy in 2021. Additionally, he secured second place in four GI races, including the Tenno Sho (Spring) from 2021 to 2023 and the Arima Kinen in 2021. Remarkably, his prize money has reached 685,058,800 JPY, the highest ever earned by a horse without a GI victory.
In 2021, he surged from off the pace to claim victory in the Hanshin Daishoten by a five-length margin, while in 2022, he rallied from the middle of the pack to overcome the tenacious Iron Barows, securing a convincing win. However, last year, he finished fifth in his attempt to emulate Gold Ship's historic three consecutive victories.
After that, he has maintained strong level of form, including a second placed effort in the Tenno Sho (Spring) and a third in the Kyoto Daishoten. A podium finish in this race will propel his prize money beyond 700 million JPY. It will be intriguing to witness if, with Mirai Iwata as his jockey for the first time, he can lift his third Hanshin Daishoten title, affirming his enduring strength and prowess.