Strong Finish Carries Stellenbosch To Oka Sho Glory

Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) reversed the form with her G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies conqueror, Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) Daiwa Major (Jpn), as she ran out an authoritative winner of Sunday's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) at Hanshin Racecourse, the first leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara.

The hitherto unbeaten Ascoli Piceno was crowned champion Japanese two-year-old filly in 2023, though Stellenbosch didn't have much to find with the favourite on their Hanshin Juvenile Fillies running when she'd finished best of all from the rear of the field to be beaten just a neck at the line.

This time Joao Moreira's mount always had Ascoli Piceno in her sights having recovered quickly from a slow start to race on the immediate inside of her old rival, with the pair finding a slot in mid-division as Shonan Manuela (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}) led the field in the early stages. Swinging wide on the home turn, Stellenbosch quickly moved ahead of Ascoli Piceno and again impressed with her strength at the finish as she powered home to claim brief leader Etes Vous Prets (Jpn) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the final 100 metres. Ascoli Piceno tried to match strides with the winner but was still three quarters of a length behind at the line, with another half a length back to the fast-finishing Light Back (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in third.

It was a third victory in the Oka Sho for trainer Sakae Kunieda, who was previously successful in 2010 with Apapane (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and in 2018 with the brilliant Triple Tiara heroine Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), while Brazilian-born Moreira was celebrating his first win in the Classic.

“She didn't jump very well, but she did nothing wrong during the race–she was very impressive,” said Moreira. “When we were approaching the home turn, we were trapped but as we passed by the 500-metre marker, we were able to split horses. She went up front a little bit too early and I was worried she couldn't sustain her speed all the way to the end but, as with all good horses, she has proved to be capable and has given me my second Group 1 win in Japan which will be in my heart forever.”

Stellenbosch shares her sire with Daring Tact (Jpn), who also completed the Triple Tiara in 2020, while Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) became the seventh filly to win all three legs in 2023. The next leg, the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), takes place at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday, May 19.

Prior to filling the runner-up spot in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Stellenbosch won two of her first three starts last year, making a successful debut over nine furlongs at Sapporo in July before bouncing back from her first defeat to double her career tally over a mile at Tokyo in November.

 

Pedigree Notes

Stellenbosch is one of three Classic winners and four Group 1 winners for Epiphaneia, who won the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) himself in 2013. He later doubled his tally at the top level when also winning the Japan Cup the following year. As well as the Triple Tiara heroine Daring Tact, Epiphaneia is also responsible for the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) winner Efforia (Jpn), who subsequently struck in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and G1 Arima Kinen in a brilliant three-year-old campaign in 2021. Circle Of Life (Jpn) was the champion two-year-old filly for Epiphaneia the same year when the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies was her standout victory.

Last year's Hanshin Juvenile Fillies runner-up Stellenbosch is the first winner and first runner out of the winning Bloukrans (Jpn), who did her best work at around 10 furlongs on turf. Bloukrans is in turn out of a half-sister to the late Deep Impact (Jpn), the Japanese Triple Crown winner who quickly rose to become one of the world's most influential stallions. Deep Impact and Stellenbosch's grandam, Land's Edge (Jpn), were both out of the blue hen Wind In Her Hair (Ire), herself a Group 1 winner in Germany and runner-up in the G1 Oaks at Epsom.

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
OKA SHO (JAPANESE 1000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥304,040,000, Hanshin, 4-7, 3yo, f, 1600mT, 1:32.20, fm.
1–STELLENBOSCH (JPN), 121, f, 3, by Epiphaneia (Jpn)
            1st Dam: Bloukrans (Jpn), by Rulership (Jpn)
            2nd Dam: Land's Edge (Jpn), by Dance in the Dark (Jpn)
            3rd Dam: Wind in Her Hair (Ire), by Alzao
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Katsumi Yoshida; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Sakae Kunieda; J-Joao Moreira; ¥166,628,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, ¥215,468,000. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ascoli Piceno (Jpn), 121, f, 3, by Daiwa Major (Jpn)–Ascolti (Jpn), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥63,608,000.
3–Light Back (Jpn), 121, f, 3, by Kizuna (Jpn)–In The Spotlight (Ire), by Exceed And Excel (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (¥242,000,000 Ylg '22 HOKJUL). O-Kazuhiro Masuda; B-Lake Villa Farm (Jpn); ¥38,804,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, HF. Odds: 3.30, 2.50, 13.60.
Also ran: Sweep Feet (Jpn), Etes Vous Prets (Ire), Wide Latour (Jpn), Sekitoba East (Jpn), Queen's Walk (Jpn), Teumessa (Jpn), Hawaian Tiare (Jpn), Ipheion (Jpn), Chicago Sting (Jpn), Cervinia (Jpn), Mask All Win (Jpn), Cecile Plage (Jpn), Corazon Beat (Jpn), Shonan Manuela (Jpn), Catfight (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

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Equinox Primed For Tenno Sho Autumn Defence

Perched atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings at 129 pounds for much of the year after his sensational 3 1/2-length victory in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in Dubai this March, the formidable Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) will attempt to become only the third horse to claim the ¥421,420,000 G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) in back-to-back years at Tokyo on Sunday.

The reigning Japanese Horse of the Year has never finished worse than second in eight starts, and landed the G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin over 2200 metres–200 metres farther than Sunday's trip–at the end of June. Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, just like fellow Silk Racing colourbearer, Japanese Horse of the Year and dual Tenno Sho (Autumn) heroine Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) (2019/2020), the Tetsuya Kimura trainee's task will not be an easy one.

“Christophe Lemaire rode work last week and it was the usual work we do a week out,” said Kimura of his charge, who worked well at his Miho base last week. “Things were very routine. This week, the training was quite orthodox. In some ways the main concern was making sure everything went as usual amid all the attention. I don't think there's any problem with him.”

Of the 10 rivals that oppose the 8-5 favourite the greatest danger looks to be 14-5 shot Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), a winner of both the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. in 2021 and the 2022 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby). He defeated Equinox by a neck in the latter contest, and also earned a Group 2 victory in the Kyoto Kinen in February. Part of the numerous Japanese challengers for the Dubai World Cup night, he was forced to scratch after coming up lame before the big dance, but is reportedly working well since recovering.

Said trainer Yasuo Tomomichi, “His fast work was on the hill course this week. His time was fast, but we didn't overdo it. I think he's in excellent shape. Jockey Yutaka Take rode him last week, and the horse was switched on mentally this week the same. After work, he was bothering the other horses, that's how full of energy he was. His breathing was good too. I'll leave the race strategy up to the jockey.”

The progressive Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) holds all the ingredients to upset the big two, and the Mitsumasa Nakauchida charge was second in the Aug. 20 G2 Sapporo Kinen after taking the G2 Kinko Sho at Chukyo in March. In between those starts was another runner-up performance in the G1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin to the classy Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).

“He won the Sapporo Kinen strongly and I could see that he had matured considerably,” said trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida. “The ground that day wasn't the best, but still he ran well. I think he has gotten stronger both mentally and physically. Even from before the Sapporo Kinen, I'd been thinking of sending him here.

“Last week, I had Yuga Kawada ride trackwork and the horse was more switched on than I'd thought he would. So this week, an assistant breezed him and we focused on keeping the horse relaxed and well balanced. He's in really good shape.

“As expected, the lineup is a very strong one, with horses that have proven their ability, so we'll just have to see how well Prognosis can do up against them. He has no problem racing to the left, and he's raced over 2,000 meters a number of times so the distance and course are not concerns. He won handily last start and his prep has gone well, so I think he'll be able to race to his best here.”

Former Hong Kong champion jockey Joao 'Magic Man' Moreira will be on hand to pilot Group 3 winner Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). Fourth in both the 2022 G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and the Japanese Derby behind both Do Deuce and Equinox, the 4-year-old was third to the last-named horse in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last year, and was second to Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Turf on Dubai World cup night later in his career. The Noriyuki Hori-trained colt was fourth most recently in the Sapporo Kinen and his morning line odds are currently 13-1.

“It was hard before and after the Sapporo Kinen to get a reading on his condition,” said Hori. “To be honest, his fast work two weeks ago seemed slow, but from last week he started to look stronger. I don't think he's quite up to his overall best though. I think he can do better if he can show off his ability.”

Third to Equinox in the Takarazuka Kinen in June is Masahiro Miki's Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who prevailed in the 3200-metre G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) in April. Handed stall six, he is one to the inside of Equinox. Another Group 1 winner partaking in the Tenno Sho is Osaka Hai victor Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}). He was sixth in the wake of Prognosis in the Sapporo Kinen, and departs from stall 10.

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Sol Oriens, Tastiera Face Rubber Match In Kikuka Sho

While there is no Triple Crown at stake this season, Sunday's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) over about a mile and seven furlongs (3000 metres) shapes an intriguing affair nonetheless, with the winners of the first two legs locking horns with–potentially–champion 3-year-old honours at stake.

Shadai Farm's Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) was late to begin his career, but was a quick study, winning his first three trips to the post and overcoming some immature habits to best Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) by a clear margin in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) back in April. Sent off at odds-on to keep the streak alive in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) six weeks later, the homebred conceded first run to Tastiera and got home nicely, but too late, as he finished a neck second. Sol Oriens has the benefit of a prep run, a torrid-trip second from a wide alley in the 2200-metre G2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen Sept. 18. It will be up to Takeshi Yokoyama to work out a trip from barrier 14 on Sunday.

“It was a pity about the result last time, but there were no problems with him after it, and it was a good-enough result to look to this next race with him,” said Yokoyama. “He's currently not too tense, and he's worked well right up to the end of his training. I'd like some revenge for the Derby, so I'm hoping for a good result.”

 

 

 

Joao Moreira is in to ride Tastiera for Noriyuki Hori in his first start since the Derby, where he was piloted by Australia's Damian Lane. The Carrot Farm colourbearer defeated Top Knife (Jpn) (Declaration of War) by a length when prepping for the Guineas in March, but was soundly beaten by 1 1/4 lengths in the first leg of the Triple Crown. He was perhaps a fraction fortunate that Sol Oriens did not commence his stretch rally a bit sooner at Tokyo, as Lane breathed a sigh of relief, and he'll critically be spotting Sol Oriens race-readiness this weekend.

“He has a lot of stamina, and he doesn't show any sign of stopping when he's running, so I think he can take on his opponents this time without any worries,” the conditioner commented. “It was a very hot summer, and I think it's to his advantage that he's coming back for a race just now, even though that wasn't the original plan.”

There is plenty of depth in Sunday's race beneath the top two. Hearts Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) ran home to be a brave third at longshot odds in the Derby and he, too, has a tightener under his belt, having finished a close fifth behind Derby 11th Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}), Savona (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB})–eighth in the Derby–in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai (2400m) Sept. 24. Top Knife has also since franked the Derby form with an outstanding runner-up effort to the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn)-bound budding superstar Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen Aug. 20. Nocking Point (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), a sound fifth behind Tastiera at Tokyo, resumed with a victory in the G3 Niigata Kinen Sept. 3.

Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), whose sire provided 2021 Kikuka Sho hero Titleholder (Jpn), gets his most serious test to date, but has earned the right to be here with four wins on the trot in the lower grades.

“He's been moving well and not showing any tiredness,” said Christophe Lemaire, who sees fit to take the call. “It's a big challenge in a Group 1, but he has potential and I think he has a chance.”

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