The all-time great of Japanese racing is now among the leading sires in Australia where he’s left Classic champion Hitotsu, Cox Plate winner Cosmic Crusader & sprinting marvel Mazu and is currently 2nd on the General Sires’ Premiership.
Overview:
The best Japanese racehorse ever to stand at stud outside Japan, Maurice is now the sire of seven Group 1 winners including 2026 Cox Plate hero Cosmic Crusader, triple Australian Classic winner Hitotsu & ageless sprinter Mazu.
In 2025/26 Maurice was the sire of 15 stakes performers in Australia, including his 7th Group 1 winner Cosmic Crusader, A$11.5 million earner Mazu and 2YO colt Cormier (2nd, J.J. Atkins G1) & six other juvenile winners.
He has followed up in the first quarter of the 2026/27 season with major success by Cosmic Crusader (Cox Plate G1 & Turnbull S. G1) & Mazu (The Shorts G2), new 3YO stakeswinners Icelady (Thousand Guineas Prelude G2 & 2nd, 1000 Guineas G1), Kosaji & Murshidi, and Group-placed 3YOs Cormier (3rd, Spring Champion S. G1), Your Colour & Vallice. They’ve earned Maurice a starring role on the early-season Australian General Sires’ Premiership, in the company of Champion Sires Snitzel, I Am Invincible & Zoustar.
And in Japan, Maurice maintains a top 10 spot on the Sires’ list with a strong contingent of performers led in 2026 by his highly regarded 3YO son Zoroastro, a two-time Group winner and Northern Farm’s unbeaten Group-winning 2YO filly Pulvinar.
After missing the 2020 Southern Hemisphere season because of the Covid pandemic, Maurice returned to serve the best and largest books of his Australian career at fees of $44,000, $82,500, $82,500 & $55,000, producing more than 440 live foals.
The yearlings sold from the first three of those premium crops have been exceptionally well-received in the marketplace, with 23 lots sold for $300,000+ at Inglis Easter & Magic Millions Gold Coast, including Maurice’s first 7-figure price of $1.4 million, achieved in 2025 by the Shoals filly (now named Onshore and in training with Anthony & Sam Freedman).
Progeny:
MAURICE Horse of the Year, Champion Sprinter & Champion Miler in Japan in 2015. 11 wins-2 at 2-from 1400m to 2000m, HK$35,340,000, 536,246,000¥, Hong Kong Cup, Gr.1, Tokyo Tenno Sho (Autumn), Gr.1, Yasuda Kinen, Gr.1, Kyoto Mile Championship, Gr.1, HKJC Hong Kong Mile, Gr.1, Champions Mile, Gr.1, Nakayama Lord Derby Challenge Trophy, Gr.3, Spica S., Wakashio Sho, 2d Tokyo Yasuda Kinen, Gr.1, Sapporo Kinen, Gr.2, 3d Kyoto Shirayuri S., 4th Nakayama Fuji TV Sho Spring S., Gr.2. He entered stud in Japan in 2017. He entered stud in Aust. in 2017. Leading Second Season Sire in Australia in 2021-22. Sire of 1048 progeny to race, 686 winners (65.0%), earnings of over $185 million, 38 stakes winners, 56 stakes placegetters, inc.
Sales Results:
The 20 Maurice yearlings sold at the 2025 & 2026 Inglis Easter Sales averaged $373,250, with a top price – the highest of Maurice’s Australian stud career – of $1.4 million paid in 2025 for the filly out of 3-time Group 1 winner Shoals.
