japanese racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Sho’ And Tell As Stayers Line Up At Hanshin

A full field of 18 line up for Sunday's ¥380,000,000 G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) at Hanshin. Leading the charge in the 3200-metre feature, one of the most lucrative staying contests on the planet, is Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}). Still hunting for his first Group 1 win, the 5-year-old has won two editions of the G2 Hanshin Daishoten, and even took his show on the road last year, with a victory in the G2 Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp. He detested the heavy going in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe there in his next start, but ran a good second to Japanese Horse of the Year Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) in the G1 Arima Kinen on Boxing Day, prior to defending his Hanshin Daishoten title on Mar. 20.

Trainer Ryuji Okubo said of his charge's draw widest of all in gate 18, “He can race from any position, I believe. Depending on how the horses on the inside will run, he will be able to stay further, otherwise he can race handy if he steps well from the gate.”

Last year's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) hero Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramenta {Jpn}) will not make it an easy task. Also entering the Tenno Sho on a victory, after running out the winner in the G2 Nikkei Sho at Nakayama on Mar. 26, the 4-year-old has pleased trainer Toru Kurita in his most recent work.

Kurita, who supervised Titleholder's final fast piece of work on Miho's woodchip track on Apr. 27, said, “He has done all he needed last week, so I did not give him too much work this week, just keep his condition and checked his balance and saw his changing leads. There is no issue. About draw 16, we just do our best. We will talk the tactics with jockey [Kazuki

Yokoyama].”

Knocking on the door in group company is Iron Barows (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). Tested beyond the Tenno Sho's trip on Dec. 4, he ran second in the 3600-metre G2 Sports Nippon Sho Stayers S. at Nakayama and resumed with another second-place effort in the 3000-metre Hanshin Daishoten in the wake of Deep Bond.

Trainer Hiroyuki Uemura said, “He has lots of Orfevre–his heart and lungs are very strong, and he has stamina and is a gutsy colt.”

Riding a four-race winning streak, T O Royal (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) is making his third start in group company. Successful in the 3400-metre G3 Diamond S. at Tokyo, this will be the 4-year-old's first try at the highest level.

“He is fit and ready,” said trainer Inao Okada. “He is in good form both mentally and physically. The draw [in seven] is a good draw.”

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Namur Hoping To Blossom In Oka Sho

Billed as the “Cherry Blossom Prize”, Japan's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) over 1600 metres is the first Japanese Classic of the season, and a full field of 18 faces the starter on Sunday.

The diminutive three-for-four Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) is the likely favourite, and she enters this test on the back of a victory in the Mar. 5 G2 Tulip Sho. Her only loss was in her third start, when a close fourth after a slow break and a rough trip to Circle Of Life (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), Lovely Your Eyes (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}), and Water Navillera (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}), in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies on Dec. 12. As her 2022 form has shown, the bay has progressed this term, but she must overcome breaking from gate 18, the widest post in the one-mile race. “I think she has pretty much fixed her form and only rose up in front a bit,” said trainer Tomokazu Takano.

Circle of Life graduated at second asking at Nakayama in September, then reeled off wins in the G3 Artemis S. at Tokyo on Oct. 30 and at Hanshin in December. Her victory in the latter helped boost her to the title of Japan's Champion 2-Year-Old Filly for 2021. The bay was closer than normal to the pace in the Tulip Sho, where she finished third to a resurgent Namur and Pin High (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}).

“She was a bit more high-strung than usual in this last race, but now that she's let off some gas, if she can get a nice smooth trip and make the most of her late speed, I think she has a chance to revenge the loss,” said trainer Sakae Kunieda.

Although without a win at group level, Lovely Your Eyes did place third versus colts in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. at Tokyo in November, and she was only a half-length off of Circle of Life in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. The Oka Sho will be her first appearance as a sophomore, and she is a member of G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas hero Logotype's first crop.

“She is refreshed now, both mentally and physically and has matured quite a bit,” said conditioner Yoichi Kuroiwa. “The jockey [Ryusei Sakai] rode her last week and liked what he felt. She is looking good. I think her weight will be up from her last start.”

The Group 1-placed Water Navillera won her first three starts at two, culminating with a victory in the G3 KBS Kyoto Sho Fantasy S. in November, defeating Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}). She was third in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, but produced a game effort to be fifth in the Tulip Sho, running on without a clear run and gaining on the leaders all the way to the line.

Click here for the group field.

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Takamatsunomiya Kinen Goes to Naran Huleg

Naran Huleg (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) prevailed in a desperately close finish in the 1200-metre G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo on Sunday.

The 6-year-old entire was a 26-1 shot, and took up his customary position near the tail of the field against the rail. The 6-5 crowd's pick Resistencia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), meanwhile, cut out fractions of :22.40 and :44.40, while pressed by Gendarme (Kitten's Joy). Ridden for luck on the far turn, the Katsushige Muraki runner still needed to pass most of his rivals when turning into the straight, but an animated Kyosuke Maruta gunned the blaze-faced chestnut through the rail gaps at just the right moments.

Resistencia was sending out distress signals 200 metres from home, and a host of foes were still in with a chance. Naran Huleg's strong drive had already carried him to within a couple lengths of the lead. He dove between Resistencia and Travesura (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}) 100 metres from the wire and clawed out a neck victory over the closing Lotus Land (Point of Entry), who bested Kir Lord (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) by a nose for second. It was another neck back to Travesura in fourth. Meikei Yell (Jpn) (Mikki Yell {Jpn}) was also part of the blanket finish, a neck behind in fifth, one length better than Resistencia.

“Racing from the rear is his usual style so I just concentrated on keeping the horse's rhythm,” said jockey Kyosuke Maruta, who was winning his first Group 1 in 16 seasons in the saddle. “He has never experienced heavy ground before but handled it well. I took him through the inner course with confidence as I did in the Tanzanite S. I was really happy when we were able to break free before the wire.”

“I'm very happy and a bit relieved to have been able to win a Group 1 race, thanks to Naran Huleg,” added trainer Yoshitada Munakata. “Though we would have preferred a better ground, he showed his usual strong charge in the stretch against a strong field.”

Second in the Listed Yukan Fuji Hai Opal S. at Hanshin in October, Naran Huleg took the Tanzanite S. there in December and was third in Chukyo's G3 Silk Road S. on Jan. 30. He went one better going this trip at Nakayama in the G3 Yukan Fuji Sho Ocean S. on Mar. 5, in his most recent trip to the post prior to Sunday's heroics.

Pedigree Notes

The late Gold Allure (Jpn), a former leading sire on the NAR circuit, now has 27 black-type winners to his credit, 12 at the group level. Naran Huleg is his sixth Group 1 winner, and is bred on the same cross as G1 Japan Cup Dirt, and G1 February S. hero Espoir City (Jpn), who is also out of a Brian's Time mare. That sire's daughters have foaled 38 black-type winners, 22 of them group scorers. Other Group 1 winners besides Naran Huleg and Espoir City in that sphere for Brian's Time are Dee Majesty (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Time Flyer (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Beat Black (Jpn) (Miscast {Jpn}), all by sons of Sunday Silence.

A winner at both three and four, Kelley's Beauty (Jpn) (Brian's Time) threw Listed Oro Cup winner and G2 Keio Hai Spring Cup-placed Impress Winner (Jpn) (Fusaichi Concorde {Jpn}) as her first foal in 2007. Her produce record currently stands at 10 runners and nine winners, with Naran Huleg the best of the lot. Her filly of 2018, Diamond Canon (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}) has been placed, while her Talismanic (GB) juvenile filly Isa Chil Cute (Jpn) has yet to race. She did not produce a foal last year, but was bred to Discreet Cat for this spring.

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Sinister Minister Colt Runs to Billing in Champions Cup

Favoured to become the first Group 1 winner for his sire in the G1 Champions Cup, T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) followed the money and crossed the wire six lengths to the good of 2020 winner and Japanese Champion Dirt Horse Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) at Chukyo on Sunday.

Priced at 2-1, the 4-year-old colt rated kindly in sixth as Group 1-winning white mare Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}), making her dirt bow, opened up to lead past the winning post and into the first turn. Positions were unchanged on the backside and the chestnut was poised to pounce exiting the final bend. Sodashi was swarmed by rivals inside the quarter-mile marker and T O Keynes found a gap at the perfect time to take the lead shortly thereafter. He sped away from his rivals to win comfortably, with Chuwa Wizard, who was second in the G1 Dubai World Cup earlier this year, closing from off the pace to take second, 3/4 of a length in front of stalker Another Truth (Jpn) (I'll Have Another). Sodashi faded to 12th.

“Though the JBC Classic result was disappointing due to the slow start, he broke smoothly today, thanks to the gate practice he went through at the stable,” said Kohei Matsuyama. “I was able to ride him in good rhythm and he responded remarkably well turning the fourth corner, so everything was perfect. I think he's a very strong horse and I'm glad I was able to bring out his strong performance.”

Second in the Listed Betelgeuse S. at Hanshin last December, the colt ran sixth in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten at Oi just nine days later on Dec. 29. He opened 2021 with a win in the muddy Nagoyajo S. in March and claimed his first group victory with a score in the G3 Antares S. on Apr. 18. He stretched his winning streak to three when taking the June 30 Listed Teio Sho, and, given a break, ran fourth in the Listed JBC Classic at Kanazawa on Nov. 3.

Pedigree Notes
One of 11 black-type winners-three at the group level–for his sire, T O Keynes has become the most decorated runner for the 2006 GI Toyota Blue Grass S. hero.
T O Keynes is the fourth foal and fourth of five winners for his placed dam. Maxim Café has since produced colts by Copano Rickey (Jpn) in 2019 and 2021, with the juvenile christened Copano Austin (Jpn). She is a half-sister to black-type winner and G3 Leopard S. third Tamano Brunette (Jpn) (Deep Sky {Jpn}).

Sunday, Chukyo, Japan
CHAMPIONS CUP-G1, ¥194,860,000, Chukyo, 12-5, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:49.70, gd.
1–T O KEYNES (JPN), 126, c, 4, Sinister Minister
                1st Dam: Maxim Café (Jpn), by Manhattan Café (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Cafe Pinoko (Jpn), by Jade Robbery
                3rd Dam: Pinochet, by Storm Cat
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Tomoya Ozasa; B-Yanagawa Farm (Jpn);
T-Daisuje Takayanagi; J-Kohei Matsuyama. ¥103,402,000.
Lifetime: 15-8-2-2. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Chuwa Wizard (Jpn), 126, h, 6, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–
Chuwa Blossom (Jpn), by Durandal (Jpn). O-Shinobu Nakanishi;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥40,972,000.
3–Another Truth (Jpn), 126, g, 7, I'll Have Another–Kyoei Truth
(Jpn), by Fuji Kiseki (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE.
O-Normandy Thoroughbred Racing; B-Okada Stud (Jpn);
¥25,486,000.
Margins: 6, 3/4, NK. Odds: 2.30, 3.60, 114.40.
Also Ran: Inti (Jpn), Sunrise Nova (Jpn), Auvergne (Jpn), Meisho Hario (Jpn), Suave Aramis (Jpn), Air Spinel (Jpn), Casino Fountain (Jpn), Cafe Pharoah, Sodashi (Jpn), K T Brave (Jpn), Clincher (Jpn), Sunrise Hope (Jpn), Danon Pharaoh (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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