Third choice at 7-2 in this Group 1 bow, Vela Azul raced in the back half of the field as Unicorn Lion (Ire) (No Nay Never) cut out steady fractions of :24 flat and :48.80. In close quarters entering the clubhouse turn, the Shiraoi Farm-bred was in a good rhythm, and held his position as he edged up to midpack. The pacesetter threw in the towel with a quarter mile remaining, as several foes loomed up with chances in the straight.

Stonewalled behind a wall of horses in upper stretch, gaps kept slamming in Moore's face, and it was not until the 200-metre mark, that a razor-thin hole appear. Just as Moore was sending Vela Azul through, that too, disappeared, and the Englishman redirected his charge back toward the inside. Miraculously a path opened 100 metres from home, and Vela Azul bulled his way through, hitting the front in the dying strides to clinch the victory. Favoured at 12-5, Shahryar, too, came from well off the pace, to master Weltreisende (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}) who had briefly anchored the vanguard and was a neck back in third. Tom Marquand was a half-length behind aboard Japanese Filly Triple Crown Winner Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) in fourth. 2022 G1 Grand Prix de Paris scorer Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB})'s momentum was halted 400 metres from the wire, and he also lacked racing room in deep stretch to take seventh.

“He broke OK,”said trainer Kunihiko Watanabe. “The pace was rather slow, but my horse has a good late charge and I trusted him to make a good run and. He was in good condition coming into this race but he exceeded our expectation. He is five years' old but he gets better and better and still has room for improvement. The reason for racing him on dirt early in his career was because he had leg issues [fractures] as a young colt and in order to race him with less risk he was raced on dirt. However, I did think he had an aptitude to race well on turf and it was only a matter of timing as to when to shift to turf racing.”

“I was very lucky to ride a talented horse,” said Moore, who was winning his second Japan Cup after piloting Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to her second consecutive edition in 2013. “The pace was very steady for the Japan Cup. The horse never had much room, but when he did he quickened up very well so he was very impressive today. I had a good horse that got me out front and we had a nice spot–it wasn't too far off the pace and following a good horse, the horse in front was having to wait and I was having to wait [too], and when he found a bit of room he quickened up very well. I suppose for today being towards the inside wasn't a disadvantage.”

Making his first 16 starts on dirt, without a black-type race on his resume, although he did win once at three and once last term, Vela Azul became an entirely different creature switched to firm turf second up this year, running off with the Awaji Tokubetsu over 2600 metres in March. Third in both the Sunshine S. and Ryokufu S. at Nakayama in April and Tokyo in May, respectively, the 5-year-old sealed the first half of his season with an 1 3/4-length score in the June S. over course and distance on June 11. He returned on Oct. 10 to take the G2 Kyoto Daishoten from off the pace at Hanshin by 2 1/2 lengths in 2:24.30 against several of these as second favourite.

Pedigree Notes

Tops of a trio of stakes winners for his G1 Japanese Derby/G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn)-winning sire, Eishin Flash, Vela Azul is the son of King's Best's first scorer at Group 1 level. He becomes the fifth top-shelf victor for the French Deputy horse Kurofune as a broodmare sire.

The sixth of seven foals of racing age and one of five winners for his dual-winning dam who did her best work when breaking her maiden in the mud going 1800 metres at Hanshin at three and over a fast dirt strip at Fukushima over 1800 metres later that year, Vela Azul is by some margin the best of the septet. Vela Blanca (Jpn) (Kurofune)'s latest progeny is a yearling filly by World Ace (Jpn), and, although she was covered by Bago (Fr) later that spring, she did not produce a foal this term.

Second dam Admire Sunday (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), runner-up at listed level, did an admirable job in the paddocks with five black-type horses to her credit led by G1 Shuka Sho heroine and Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Adventura (Jpn) (Jungle Pocket {Jpn}). Adventura's full-sister, Tall Poppy (Jpn) (Jungle Pocket {Jpn}), was also a Classic winner and a champion of her generation as a juvenile. Third dam Moon Indigo (El Gran Senor), herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Moonlight Dance (Alysheba), is a product of French champion and Group 1 winner Madelia (Fr) (Caro {Ire}), who claimed both the 1977 French 1000 Guineas and the French Oaks alongside the Prix Saint-Alary.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥765,580,000, Tokyo, 11-27, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:23.70, fm.
1–VELA AZUL (JPN), 126, h, 5, Eishin Flash (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Vela Blanca (Jpn), by Kurofune
                2nd Dam: Admire Sunday (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
                3rd Dam: Moon Indigo, by El Gran Senor
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Carrot Farm; B-Shiraoi Farm (Jpn);
T-Kunihiko Watanabe; J-Ryan Moore. ¥403,906,000. Lifetime
Record: 22-6-4-5. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click
   for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Shahryar (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Dubai Majesty,
by Essence of Dubai. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥161,116,000.
3–Weltreisende (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Dream Journey (Jpn)–
Mandela (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥100,558,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, HF. Odds: 3.50, 2.40, 8.50.
Also Ran: Daring Tact (Jpn), Danon Beluga (Jpn), Grand Glory (GB), Onesto (Ire), Karate (Jpn), Tunnes (Ger), Uberleben (Jpn), Heart's Histoire (Jpn), Shadow Diva (Jpn), Trust Kenshin (Jpn), T O Royal (Jpn), Simca Mille (Ire), Unicorn Lion (Ire), Boccherini (Jpn), Ridge Man (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

Ryan Moore is simply world class!

The top jockey times it perfectly aboard Vela Azul to win his second Japan Cup @TomMarquand and Daring Tact finish 4th.pic.twitter.com/Q62mqYxjrt

— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) November 27, 2022

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Bred by Elevage Haras de Bourgeauville and sold for €18,000 to Marco Bozzi Bloodstock during Arqana's October Yearling Sale in 2017, the bay made a winning debut in the colours of Bartolo Faraci at Deauville in December of her juvenile season in 2018. Purchased privately by Albert Frassetto, John D'Amato and Mike Pietrangelo over the winter, Grand Glory would go on to take third in the 2019 G1 Prix de Diane. Returning as a 4-year-old, the mare landed the G3 Prix de Flore in heavy ground after placing in a pair of Group 2s earlier that season. At five, she tallied the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy and G1 Prix Jean Romanet in succession, before missing by a nose in the G1 Prix de l'Opera that October.

She went through the Deauville ring again during Arqana's Vente d'Elevage last December, and brought €2.5 million from Yohea acting for Marie. Now a 6-year-old, the bay won the Listed Prix Zarkava this April and the G3 Prix Allez France a month later in the silks of Haras de Hus. Third in Royal Ascot's G1 Prince Of Wales's S., Grand Glory was unplaced in both the G1 Prix Vermeille and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Her record stands at 23-8-4-4, $1,257,387.

Out of the placed Madonna Lily (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}), Grand Glory is her fifth of six foals, and one of two stakes winners. Her final and last foal is the 2017 Toronado (Ire) gelding Bois d'Argent (GB), who won at listed level in France. Madonna Lily is a half-sister to GII Canadian S. heroine Minakshi (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), while she is also kin to G1 Crown Oaks victress Arapaho Miss (Aus) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), and that mare's G1 Kennedy VRC Oaks-winning daughter Miami Bound (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}).

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Racing for Zhang Yuesheng, the 3-year-old filly, who won the G2 Ribblesdale S. prior to her G1 Irish Oaks heroics, was fifth to future Arc winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks in August.

“This morning, she galloped for about six furlongs,” said Harrington, who assists her mother, Jessica. “We just wanted to get a nice breeze into her and for Shane [Foley] to see how she's moving and how she was.

“She lost a nice bit of weight traveling here, but she's back to her best weight now. With Shane riding her today, she knows it's coming close to the race date, she's in perfect condition and we couldn't be happier with her. She's taking everything well in her stride and settled in really well with the surroundings here.

“The quick surface in Japan is one of the reasons why we brought her here. She's done well on quick surfaces in Europe and I think the right-handed course at Hanshin will suit her well. Magical Lagoon is a tough horse, she has stamina and she'll never give up a fight.”

Jockey Shane Foley added, “Hanshin Racecourse is a very good and fair track with a long straight so that she can get into a battle. The harder the battle, the better she'll be.

“She's usually good out of the gate and quick into her strides so we hope to get a nice position in the first five or six and get her into a nice rhythm.

“We'd prefer that it doesn't rain and that we can race on fast track because her best form is on firm ground, but she's getting stronger all the time and I think she'll handle it well. The soft ground in Japan is different to soft ground in Europe so hopefully it won't get too bad.”

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“The Breeders' Cup [Turf] is after the Arc, so basically the Arc is next on the agenda and once you've won that race, you have a free entry to the Japan Cup, same as the Breeders' Cup, same as Hong Kong,” said Muir. “We can't do them all. It is impossible to do everything.”

A firm decision on where the 5-year-old entire goes after France will be made by Muir, his co-trainer Chris Grassick, injured regular jockey Martin Dwyer, and Pyledriver's owners.

Muir said, “The three owners and me, and definitely Martin–even though he is not riding, he is a big part of this horse's journey–will decide where we go after the Arc. The Breeders' Cup is possible. We will have a meeting and discuss which way we go, but the Arc is next.”

Ridden by PJ McDonald on Saturday, Pyledriver pleased Muir on Sunday morning.

Muir added, “He is grand, really good this morning. He has come out of the race well, he is very happy. I was out with him about 5 a.m. this morning and he is fine.”

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The Shinji Maeda colourbearer, who is trained by Yoshito Yahagi, was named the Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Colt of 2019 on the back of a flawless campaign that culminated in a 1 1/2-length win in the G1 Hopeful S. after taking the 1800-metre G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. in a record time of 1:44.50 in November of that year.

Contrail made his 3-year-old bow in the Apr. 19 G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas, and maintained his unbeaten record with more victories in the May 31 G1 Japanese Derby and G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai on Sept. 27. He just lasted for a neck score in the G1 Japanese St. Leger to become the eighth Japanese Triple Crown Winner on Oct. 25, 2020. Although he lost the G1 Japan Cup to the Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) running second, Contrail still earned divisional honours as the Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Colt. His 2021 record shows a third in the G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin in April and a second in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) to 2021 Japanese 2000 Guineas hero Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) on Halloween. He has earned $8,311,887 from just 10 starts, with seven wins, two seconds and a third.

His dam, the placed Unbridled's Song mare Rhodochrosite, was picked up by Koji Maeda for $385,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2011. Contrail is her third foal, while his granddam Folklore (Tiznow) was a winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, the GI Matron S. and the GII Adirondack S. and was also named the Eclipse Champion Juvenile Filly in 2005. A half-sister to Folklore, the multiple stakes-placed Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality), is the dam of 2020 U.S. Champion Juvenile Colt and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality (Tapit), who progressed to take the 2021 GI Belmont S. as a sophomore and will stand for $75,000 at Darley America next year.

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Julia Römich, a representative of Marcel Weiss's stable, told Equidia, “The Marcel Weiss stable thanks everyone for this unforgettable day Sunday at Longchamp. Torquator Tasso will not run again this year. His owners have resisted the temptation to go to the G1 Japan Cup so that he can rest up for next year. The objective is to defend his title in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. As such, we will come back to Longchamp next year.”

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Bred by Northern Farm and campaigned by Katsumi Yoshida, the May foal won two of three starts at two including the Sapporo Sansai S. in September of 2000 before a second-place finish in the Radio Tampa Hai Sansai S. Back in the winner's circle in the Kyodo News Service Hai, he was third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) before rebounding to take the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in May of 2001. Only third in the Sapporo Kinen that August and fourth in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) that October, he claimed his Group 1 in the Japan Cup by a neck over T.M. Opera O (Jpn) (Opera House {GB}) that November. He was named Japanese Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old of 2001.

Shelved until March of his 4-year-old year, Jungle Pocket ran second in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten and filled the same spot in the Tenno Sho (Spring) in April. His final two runs were off-the-board finishes at Nakayama in the G1 Japan Cup and G1 Arima Kinen. The Katsumi Yoshida colourbearer was retired to stand at Shadai Stallion Station with a mark of 13-5-3-2 and $5,788,198 in earnings.

Besides standing at Shadai in the Northern Hemisphere, he moved to the Breeders' Stallion Station in 2013 and also shuttled to Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand for a few seasons. He sired 29 black-type winners, 16 of them at the group level. Among his best progeny were Group 1 winners Tosen Jordan (Jpn), Aventura (Jpn), Queen Spumante (Jpn), Jaguar Mail (Jpn) and Jungle Rocket (NZ). As a broodmare sire, Jungle Pocket's daughters have foaled 10 black-type winners, six at the group level. Although he does not have a Group 1 winner in that sphere yet, Group 2 winner Mikki Swallow (Jpn) (Tosen Homareboshi {Jpn}) ran third in the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) and fellow Group 2 winner Solveig (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) was third in the G1 Sprinters S.

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When the gates opened, Almond Eye was away in good order from stall two and pilot Christophe Lemaire positioned the star mare near the rails in a stalking fourth as 2017 G1 Japanese St Leger hero Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) took up his preferred position on the engine. Daring Tact settled a few lengths off Almond Eye in seventh, while Contrail was farther back in ninth. Kiseki quickly opened up a 20-length advantage on the rest of the field, covering the first 1000 metres in a swift :57.90 and getting the mile in 1:33.10.

It appeared for a handful of strides that Kiseki had perhaps poached too great of an advantage a quarter mile from home, but that was an illusion, as the sharp fractions began to viably wear on the frontrunner almost immediately thereafter. Almond Eye was letting down with authority and she set her sights on 2019 G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase victor Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who was gaining on Kiseki with every stride. Out in the middle of the course, Contrail was making his patented run, as was Daring Tact a few paths toward the inside, with last year’s runner-up Curren Bouquetd’or (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) also in the mix.

Almond Eye gained the lead at the 150-metre mark, and asserted from there to withstand the withering late burst from Contrail by 1 1/4 lengths in her career finale. Only a neck separated the 2020 Triple Crown winners, with Daring Tact a nose to the good of fourth-place Curren Bouquetd’or. She in turn was only a neck in front of Glory Vase. The brave pacesetter Kiseki faded to eighth. European raider Way To Paris (GB) (Champs Elysees {Jpn}), a winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and reluctant to load on Sunday, was outrun for the majority of the contest, but passed some tiring rivals to finish 10th.

“Since this was her final start, it was very special for me and I’m thrilled we were able to win,” said Lemaire. “After winning the Victoria Mile in the spring, we had three weeks to get her prepared for the Yasuda Kinen in which she was second. She had an extra week this time and was tuned up beautifully. She was relaxed in the gate, broke smoothly and was able to sit in a good position. The turf condition near the rails was much better than last week so I don’t think the inner draw was a problem. The pace was just right for her and she responded well in the stretch. The others closing in on us didn’t worry me at all. Almond Eye is a perfect mare and doesn’t have any weak points. Her career as a race horse ended today but I look forward to riding her children.”

Added trainer Sakae Kunieda on Almond Eye who was winning her eighth JRA Group 1 and ninth overall, “She looked good since arriving at the racecourse–she has definitely matured mentally. We were worried about the rough going near the rails, but Christophe did a good job in finding a good path. The pace was ideal for Almond Eye and her response was totally different from that in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). Since expectations of an eighth Group 1 title were enormous in her last Tenno Sho start, we did feel pressure but today, all we wanted was for her to come back safe and sound. The victory is such a bonus, we couldn’t be happier. She has given us so much excitement and joy and it has been fulfilling to be a part of her career. It would be great if I could be involved in training her colt or filly someday.”

Second in a newcomers’ race in August of 2017, she rattled off seven straight wins afterward, encompassing a maiden that October, before a score in the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen to open her 3-year-old year. After winning the Japanese Fillies’ Triple Crown, Almond Eye saluted in her first Japan Cup in November of 2018 and was named the Japanese Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. She took her show on the road with a win in the G1 Dubai Turf in 2019, before a shock third in the G1 Yasuda Kinen in June of 2019. Back on top in the first of two G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) wins, the bay was unplaced in the G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama last December. First in the May 17 G1 Victoria Mile, Almond Eye was second in the Yasuda Kinen locally in June.

A winner of the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last out, Almond Eye became the first JRA horse to capture eight Group 1 races over turf with that race. Adding in the spoils of her second Japan Cup victory, Almond Eye retires with a mark of 15-11-2-1 and ¥1,915,263,900 (US$18,393,937/£13,819,626/€15,374,801) in earnings, becoming the richest runner in JRA history. Breeding plans have not been decided.

Pedigree Notes

One of four Group 1 winners and 23 total black-type winners for her sire, Almond Eye is a member of her sire’s first crop. Fusaichi Pandora has produced 10 foals so far, with eight winners from eight runners. Besides Almond Eye, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup bridemaid’s next most decorated offspring would be the Listed Anemone S. third Unakite (Jpn) (Johannesburg), while her latest is a juvenile by Rulership (Jpn).

Almond Eye’s second dam is an unraced Nureyev half-sister to champions and successful sires El Gran Senor (Northern Dancer) and Try My Best (Northern Dancer), as well as Irish highweight Solar (Halo). The quartet are out of blue hen Sex Appeal (Buckpasser), herself a half-sister to Malinowski (Sir Ivor), GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom {Fr}), and GSW Monroe (Sir Ivor).

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥574,620,000 (US$5,519,130/£4,146,327/€4,613,255), Tokyo, 11-29, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:23.00, fm.
1–ALMOND EYE (JPN), 121, m, 5, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Fusaichi Pandora (Jpn) MSW & G1SP-Jpn,
                                $3,264,457, by Sunday Silence
                2nd Dam: Lotta Lace, by Nureyev
                3rd Dam: Sex Appeal, by Buckpasser
O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Sakae Kunieda;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥303,234,000. Lifetime Record:
HotY-Jpn, Ch. 3yo Filly-Jpn, Filly Triple Crown-Jpn, Hwt. Older
Mare-UAE, MG1SW-Jpn, G1SW-UAE, 15-11-2-1,
¥1,915,263,900. *1/2 to Unakite (Jpn) (Johannesburg), SP-Jpn,
$290,564. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Contrail (Jpn), 121, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Rhodochrosite,
by Unbridled’s Song. O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills (Jpn);
¥120,924,000.
3–Daring Tact (Jpn), 117, f, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Daring Bird
(Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). (¥12,000,000 Ylg ’18
JRHAJUL). O-Normandy Thoroughbred Racing; B-Hasegawa
Farm (Jpn); ¥75,462,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, NO. Odds: 1.20, 1.80, 2.70.
Also Ran: Curren Bouquetd’or (Jpn), Glory Vase (Jpn), World Premiere (Jpn), Mikki Swallow (Jpn), Kiseki (Jpn), Makahiki (Jpn), Way to Paris (GB), Perform a Promise (Jpn), You Can Smile (Jpn), Crescendo Love (Jpn), Taurus Gemini (Jpn), Yoshio (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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