Royce and Royce (ロイスアンドロイス)
Royce and Royce (ロイスアンドロイス) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse foaled on 10 March 1990 and bred by the renowned Shadai Farm. Trained by Yasuhisa Matsuyama for owner K. Tenjin, the bay stallion was sired by the legendary Tony Bin out of That's My Pal, making him part of one of the stronger bloodlines of the early 1990s. Although he never captured a graded stakes victory, Royce and Royce became one of the most respected and popular "nearly horses" of his generation through remarkable consistency and courage against Japan's very best.
His official record stands at 28 starts for 3 wins, 9 seconds and 7 thirds, with career earnings of approximately ¥211.8 million. Those figures only tell part of the story. Royce and Royce earned an extraordinary sixteen placings from twenty-eight starts, repeatedly finishing among the leaders in elite company despite rarely being considered the favourite. His dependable performances earned him the affectionate nickname "Bronze Collector", a title later shared by another fan favourite, Nice Nature.
Royce and Royce took time to break his maiden, finally winning in June of his three-year-old season after several close attempts. Rather than dominating lesser races, he steadily climbed through the ranks by placing consistently in higher-quality company. During 1994 he enjoyed the finest campaign of his career, winning the Murasaki Sho before adding the Sarobetsu Stakes, his two most notable victories. More impressively, he repeatedly proved he belonged among Japan's elite stayers and middle-distance horses.
The highlight of his career came during the autumn of 1994. Royce and Royce finished third in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) before producing another outstanding effort in the Japan Cup, where he again finished third, beaten only by Marvelous Crown and Paradise Creek in one of the strongest international renewals of the race. Competing against leading horses from Japan, Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand, Royce and Royce demonstrated that consistency and determination could carry a horse into world-class company even without a major graded victory to his name.
He remained competitive through 1995 and into 1996, contesting races such as the Arima Kinen, Japan Cup, American Jockey Club Cup, Nikkei Sho, and Tenno Sho (Spring). However, his performances gradually declined as age and physical wear caught up with him. Following his final start in the 1996 Tenno Sho (Spring), tragedy struck only weeks later when Royce and Royce died on 14 June 1996 from volvulus, a twisting of the intestines that can prove rapidly fatal in horses. He was only six years old.
One curious piece of racing trivia surrounds his name. His owner originally wished to register him as "Rolls-Royce", inspired by the famous luxury car manufacturer. The Japan Racing Association rejected the application because registered names cannot directly advertise commercial brands. As a compromise, the horse became "Royce and Royce", creating one of the more distinctive names in Japanese racing history.
Although Royce and Royce never lifted a graded trophy, his popularity endured because fans appreciated his reliability and fighting spirit. Time after time he lined up against champions, often leaving with another second- or third-place finish rather than a winner's sash. In an era filled with exceptional horses, Royce and Royce proved that consistency, determination and heart could earn just as much affection as outright greatness.
Major Wins
- Murasaki Sho (1994)
- Sarobetsu Stakes (1994)
Notable Placings
- 3rd – Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1), 1994
- 3rd – Japan Cup (G1), 1994
- 3rd – Sankei Sho All Comers (G3), 1994
- Multiple placings in major open and graded races throughout 1993–1996.
Sources
