Duramente’s Lugal Aiming For Takamatsunomiya Kinen Glory

The consistent Lugal (Jpn), by the much lamented reigning Japanese Champion Sire Duramente (Jpn), has never contested a Group 1 race, but that is all about to change in Sunday's G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo over 1200 metres.

Bearing the burden of favouritism in this fully subscribed 18-strong affair, the 4-year-old will leave from stall six. Never worse than fourth in his past 10 trips to the post, Lugal ran second in the G3 Keihan Hai to Toshin Macau (Jpn) (Big Arthur {Jpn}) in his sophomore finale in November, with that rival returning to add the G3 Ocean S. to his ledger at Nakayama, defeating Big Caesar (Jpn) (Big Arthur {Jpn}) on Mar. 2. The favourite, too, made a winning 2024 bow, taking the G3 Silk Road S. going this trip at Kyoto on Jan. 28.

Trainer Haruki Sugiyama said of Lugal, “He was in great shape for the Silk Road S. and he started well. Two weeks ago, his fast work up the hill was very impressive. Last week, even with the bad ground, his footwork was almost too good. He's still a bit heavy, but I think with one more workout he'll be ready.”

Mama Cocha (Jpn) (Kurofune), winner of the G1 Sprinters S. in October defeating Mad Cool (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the process, finished her year with a fifth-place effort to Win Marvel (Jpn) (I'll Have Another) in the 1400-metre G2 Hanshin Cup in December. That rival, meanwhile, made a winning 2024 start in the G3 Hankyu Hai over the 1400-metre trip and will be cutting back to that distance for the first time since finishing sixth to Mama Cocha in the Sprinters.

Yasutoshi Ikee, trainer of the Mama Cocha, said, “She's heading into the race without a prep mainly due to the fact that I didn't see a race that suited her regarding such things as the weight she'd have to carry or the distance. However, she is a horse that does well with a sharpener, so I brought her back to Ritto early and the work she has been getting should be enough to cover for the lack. I think she's in the same condition as she was for the Sprinters S. As for the race strategy, I'm leaving all the details up to Yuga Kawada. I think she can handle the distance. I'm just hoping the weather will hold.”

The Takamatsunomiya Kinen also features Hong Kong raider Victor The Winner (Aus) (Toronado {Ire}) (Friday's gallop), who leaves from stall 10 under Derek Leung for trainer Danny Shum. Hong Kong's Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) first scooped the prize in 2015. The 5-year-old, who will be racing left-handed for the first time, claimed the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin going this trip on Jan. 28.

“He arrived late on Monday after quarantine,” Leung told the Hong Kong Jockey Club notes team. “There was a traffic jam, so he was spent a lot of time on the truck. At first, he was a little bit tired but after that, he was fine. The first time he galloped, he had a look around–same as at Sha Tin, he always looks around. It was a bit exciting for him because it was quite new.

“In the gallop, when I asked him for a little effort, he did it for me. The last 200 [metres], he gave me a good finish–not too tough for him. It was good.”

The G3 Kyoto Himba S. one-two of So Dazzling (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}), who ran second in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and third in Mama Cocha's Sprinters S. both in 2023, will leave from gates eight and three, respectively. Last year's G1 NHK Mile Cup heroine Champagne Color (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) will be trying the shortest trip of her career on Sunday, and is to the immediate outside of So Dazzling.

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‘Yell’ing With Joy As Group 1 Action Returns To Japan With Sprinters S.

On hiatus for the past several months, Group 1 action returns to the Land of the Rising Sun in Nakayama's 1200-metre Sprinters S. on Sunday. Sixteen horses have stood their ground, among them last out G2 Sankei Sho Centaur S. heroine Meikei Yell (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}). Leaving from gate 13, the 4-year-old filly and 2-1 morning line pick is aiming to become the first horse to complete the Centaur/Sprinters S. double since Tower Of London (Jpn) (Raven's Pass) in 2019. Trained by Hidenori Take, the Nagoya Keibo Co. Ltd colourbearer will have Kenichi Ikezoe in the irons.

Assistant trainer Kaname Ogino said, “Everything went to plan in her last race, and the jockey got the best out of her. She has returned to training again and seems relaxed, which is a good thing. There doesn't seem to be any change in her condition.”

 

Brilliance Their Stock In Trade

Something of a novelty in Japan, Sunday Racing's German-bred Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}), who scored his Group 1 win in the G1 NHK Mile Cup in 2021 and was runner-up in the G1 Yasuda Kinen all the way back in June, will fly the flag for his Juddmonte sire. Connections did take a gamble and send him to Dubai to start his season in March, but it did not pay off. Half a world away, others looking to give their Juddmonte sire a fruitful weekend at the highest level include 'TDN Rising Stars' Habana (Ger) (G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, 1400mT), and Kinross (GB) (G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret, 1400mT) on Arc Day. The day prior, fellow Rising Star Laurel (GB) and Mrs Fitzherbert (Ire) go to the post in Newmarket's one-mile G1 Royal Bahrain Sun Chariot S. for the 11-year-old, who sits ninth on the TDN Europe General Sires List this year. A victory by the 4-year-old entire at Nakayama would nudge Kingman up to seventh, after the $1,198,977 was added to his progeny earnings.

Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said, “His condition wasn't so good after Dubai, even though he did manage to finish second in the Yasuda Kinen. After his usual summer break at Northern Farm Tenei, he returned to the stable early in September. He looks his usual self, if not a little bigger, but has moved well enough in recent work.”

 

Age Before Beauty?

Second choice is Mutsuhiro Namura homebred Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) at 3-1, who sneaks into the field under a flyweight of just 117 pounds. Classic-placed over 1600 metres in the G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas this spring, the June 12 G3 Hakodate Sprint S. victress was third over this trip in the G3 TV Nishinippon Corp. Sho Kitakyushu Kinen on Aug. 21.

If she prevails, she would be the sixth Group or Grade 1 winner tracing to 1993 G1 Prix Morny/G1 Prix de la Salamandre heroine and blue hen Coup De Genie (Mr. Prospector) and first in Japan. Appropriately considering the international stakes on offer this weekend, one of that sextet, the now Japanese-based sire Bago (Fr) (Nashwan), claimed the 2004 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Tromphe among his many Group 1 victories.

Trainer Kodai Hasegawa said, “She has had a break at the farm with this race in mind. She has recovered well, and has been able to handle her training workload since. It has also been good to have had some time between races.”

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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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Undefeated ‘Water’ Looks for Group 1 Glory

In the hunt for a first Group 1 badge, a robust field of juveniles line up for the 73rd running of the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies Sunday. The field includes a quartet of group scorers, headed by Water Navillera (Jpn) (Silver State), undefeated in three starts at three different racecourses, including her latest win in the Nov. 6 G3 Kyoto Sho Fantasy S. It was the first graded victory by the progeny of Silver State, whose short but successful career (four wins from five starts) ended early due to tendonitis.

Trained at Ritto by former jockey Koshiro Take and pegged to be ridden by elder brother Yutaka, success Sunday would bring Koshiro his first Group 1 victory since opening his stable in 2018. Yutaka has (from 21 bids) only one win of the race, back in 1994 with Yamanin Paradise when the race was known as the Hanshin Sansai Himba S.

Looking to turn the tables on the likely favorite is Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}), winner of the Group III Kokura Nisai S. before following up with a second behind winner Water Navillera last out in the Nov. 6 G3 Fantasy S. Trainer Kodai Hasegawa said, “She can react rather strongly to horses coming up from behind, so I've had her wear a hood to calm her. She has let off steam, is looking good, and she improves with a race. I don't think the mile is out of reach. How well she can settle will be key.”

Third in her career bow at Niigata in August, Circle of Life (Jpn) (Epihaneia {Jpn}) broke through with a solid win at Nakayama Sept. 20 before stepping up successfully in Tokyo's G3 Artemis S. Oct. 30.

“Her workout on Dec. 2 was a hard one and since then she's only been breezed,” said trainer Sakae Kunieda. “I'd like her to have a bit more distance but with the long stretch of the Hanshin outer course, there shouldn't be any problems.”

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