Hanshin on Sunday hosts Japan's first Group 1 of the season for 2-year-old colts, the Asahi Hai Futurity S. The mile contest, as the lone Group 1 race in its division, has historically been the decider of 2-year-old champion honours, but this year a second Group 1 for juvenile colts will be staged on Dec. 28, the G1 Hopeful S.
Owner Danox Co Ltd. holds a strong hand on Sunday, with even-money favourite Danon Premium (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and 10-1 shot Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) as representatives. Both colts look for their third straight wins and Danon Premium is unbeaten, having set a juvenile track record when winning the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup over Stelvio (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) at Tokyo on Oct. 7. Danon Premium came back in trip to win that mile race, having broken his maiden over 1800 metres over this track on June 25.
Danon Smash, on the contrary, is stepping up from 1400 metres for the first time, but he was a facile three-length winner of the Momiji S. at Kyoto on Oct. 15. Danon Smash looks to cap a stellar season for Lord Kanaloa, the leading first-season sire, and he is trained by Takayuki Yasuda, who also handled that champion sprinter.
Danon Premium's trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida also sends out Frontier (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). The Sunday Racing colourbearer won his first two starts but checked in fourth last time in the G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. on Nov. 11. Nakauchida said, “He was unlucky last time, but that's racing. He's come out of the race well though.”
Sheikh Mohammed sends out two Darley Japan-breds headed by Tower Of London (Jpn) (Raven's Pass), who has won three of his four starts, his only loss being a second to Double Sharp (Jpn) (Behkabad {GB}) second time out. Tower Of London tuned up for this with a win in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. at Tokyo on Nov. 4, and he steps up to a mile for the first time. Trainer Kazuo Fujisawa won this race last year with Satono Ares (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), and he said of Tower Of London, “He closed well last time to win, and I'm thinking and hoping that he'll just about get the 1600 meters.”
Also carrying Sheikh Mohammed's silks is the longshot Right On Cue (Jpn) (Shamardal), who broke his maiden at second asking at Kyoto on Nov. 18.
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