By Alan Carasso
By Alan Carasso
Even by its own lofty standards, it has been nothing short of a magnificent season for Japanese-bred horses on the world stage. They have managed to win in places like Dubai and England, Australia and Hong Kong in prestigious races such as the G1 Dubai Turf and G1 Nassau S., the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Caulfield Cup and three of the four Longines Hong Kong International Races. Reigning Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) had her Hong Kong hopes cut short by a minor illness, but she looks to be in fine fettle for Sunday's G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse.
Utterly brilliant in winning the aforementioned Dubai Turf, she turned in an incredible effort in the G1 Yasuda Kinen, coming from a nearly impossible position to finish third, with Aerolithe (Jpn) (Kurofune) finding the wire just ahead of her. Given nearly five months off thereafter, she sat an admittedly soft trip in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), but got through inside late and powered home a three-length winner, stopping the clock in 1:56.2.
“Her movement was very good this week,” said jockey Christophe Lemaire. “She's in good shape. She won over the Tokyo 2400 meters easily, in record time, and has stamina, so she should be OK over 2500 meters at Nakayama. This will be her first time at the venue, but she's a very easy horse to ride.”
Last year's G1 Japan Cup winner is joined by Suave Richard (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), victorious beneath Oisin Murphy in last month's Tokyo feature, but no better than seventh in the Tenno Sho. Cheval Grand (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), the 2017 Japan Cup hero, was third to Silk Racing's Blast Onepiece (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) in this event 12 months ago and was part of a Japanese 2-3 finish in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (Suave Richard, third). The 7-year-old was a latest ninth in the Japan Cup.
Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) has a record of 4-2-1-1 in 2019, defeating former G1 Kikuka Sho winner Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) and Suave Richard in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in June. Racing first-up for four months in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Oct. 26, the 5-year-old proved 1 1/2 lengths too strong. Damian Lane, in the saddle for her last two runs, has the call Sunday.
World Premiere (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) took out this year's Kikuka Sho Oct. 20, defeating Velox (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) into third, and retains the services of the legendary Yutaka Take. Another of the Arima Kinen's six 2019 Classic winners is Saturnalia (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who bested Velox by a head in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and again in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai in September. But could get no closer than sixth to Almond Eye in the Tenno Sho as the well-backed 12-5 second choice.
The Arima Kinen is annually the most heavily bet race in the world. Last year's handle on the race alone was ¥43,664,039,500 (US$398,916,636/£306,835,446).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
