Tag: Namur

Magical Lagoon Faces Japan’s Best Females in QE II

Some eleven years have transpired since the great Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab) carried Ryan Moore to a second consecutive victory in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and it will be up to reigning G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks winner Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to put a halt to the locals' 10-race winning streak Sunday afternoon at Hanshin Racecourse.

It has been a magical season, indeed, for Yuesheng Zhang's talented bay filly, who used a runner-up effort in the Listed Salsabil S. at Navan in late April as a springboard to an 11-4 success in the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot in June. The Tattersalls October graduate, trained by Jessica Harrington, got the better of a final-furlong tussle with Toy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to take out the Irish Oaks July 16 (video) and fought out the fractions in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks last time Aug. 18 only to fade into fifth behind future G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), recent winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

 

 

 

While G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) winner Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) misses this, the season's Classic form is strongly represented. Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) defeated Pin High (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) in Group 2 company in March, but was a disappointing 10th in the G1 Oka Sho the following month. An improved third in the Oaks, she exits a runner-up effort behind perfect-trip Stunning Rose (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the G1 Shuka Sho Oct. 16 (video), in which Stars on Earth was desperately unlucky to lose her Triple Crown bid.

“She is still a young horse and there should be more to come from her,” said trainer Tomokazu Takano. “With just three weeks between races, we've been careful with her, giving her slow canters and checking how she takes the bit when running uphill. She was third in the Japanese Oaks, so the distance should be good this time.”

 

 

Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) won the 2020 Oaks, but her career has been a bit stop-start since. A good third to Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in Hong Kong's G1 FWD QE II Cup in 2021, the 5-year-old has made just three starts since, her best outcome a sound third behind Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in June. She was most recently beaten into sixth as the favorite behind the immaculately bred Geraldina (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}–Gentildonna {Jpn}) in the G2 All Comers S. Sept. 25.

Moore is in Japan on a short-term contract following his Breeders' Cup three-timer last weekend. He takes the reins aboard the Classic-placed 4-year-old filly Andvaranaut (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}).

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Circle of Life Can Turn The Tables in Yushun Himba

Masatake Iida homebred Circle of Life (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) was perfect in three starts last term to secure champion juvenile filly honours, but will be looking for her first victory as a 3-year-old in a well-matched renewal of the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.

Winner of the 1600-metre G3 Artemis S. at headquarters last October, the bay–whose sire has accounted for 2020 Oaks heroine Daring Tact (Jpn) and reigning Horse of the Year Efforia (Jpn)–came from worse than midfield to post a half-length success in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in December before taking some time off. A sound third to Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) and Pin High (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) in the G3 Tulip Sho going the metric mile Mar. 5, Circle of Life endured a wide passage from a high draw in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) last time Apr. 10 and kicked home to be fourth, beaten 3/4 of a length behind Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). She has a much cosier barrier this time in six, and that could just be the difference-maker. Jockey Mirco Demuro goes for a third Oaks in the last four years.

“If she's able to run nicely balanced, she has a great late kick,” said trainer Sakae Kunieda, who won the Oaks in 2010 with Apapane (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and in 2018 with Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). “She won the Grade 1 at the end of her 2-year-old year but I've always thought she would do better with more distance. The change to Tokyo is a plus and I'm expecting her to do better than she did in her last race.”

 

 

 

Stars on Earth was runner-up to Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in January's G3 Fairy S. and to Presage Lift (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) in the G3 Daily Hai Queen Cup Feb. 12 before overcoming some anxious moments in the straight to just touch off Water Navillera (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}) in the Oka Sho. While she had a middle gate in the Guineas, she will have to overcome the widest alley in the Oaks for Christophe Lemaire.

Namur was a disappointing 10th as the favourite in the Oka Sho, but she was done no favours by the barrier draw, as she was never able to get in from the 18 hole. That effort is best taken with a grain of salt. Conversely, Water Navillera sat a clean trip just off the pace last time and was unlucky not to win. She has theoretically the shortest way around from the rail. Yutaka Take has won the Oaks three times, but not since 1996 aboard Air Groove (Jpn).

Sheikh Fahad's lightly raced Art House (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) will have her share of admirers off a visually impressive victory beneath Yuga Kawada in the Listed Wasurenaugusa Sho (2000m) Apr. 10.

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