Durezza

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan, post time: 15:40, JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥960,400,000, 3yo/up, 2400mT Field: Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Croix Du Nord (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}), Deep Monster (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Sunrise Earth (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Ho O Biscuits (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Jpn}), Seiun Hades (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}), Struve (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), Admire Terra (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Yoho Lake (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Brede Weg (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}),...

TOKYO, JAPAN -- For 20 years the Japan Cup has remained at home. Alkaased (Kingmambo) was the last foreign raider to wrest it from the locals, winning in 2005 for the Italian-born, British-based combo of Luca Cumani and Frankie Dettori. This time around, for the 45th running of the race, the international challenge has been whittled to just one - but he's a good one: Calandagan. The son of Gleneagles, who will jump from stall eight, is the third runner in the race for Francis Graffard, who sent out Erupt...

Three top-class European invaders made the trip across to contest Sunday's G1 Japan Cup, trying to put a dent in the locals, who have more or less owned the 2400-metre feature since the turn of the century. But each was done in--to varying degrees--by a race that was run at a walking pace for the opening mile, and favoured Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) ensured that the trophy would remain in Japan for another year. The 5-year-old took off from the back of the field approaching the home straight...

Sent off the fourth betting favourite at a little more than 6-1, the progressive Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) was given a cerebral ride by Christophe Lemaire in Sunday's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) at Kyoto and raced away in the final 200 metres to defeat the winners of the first two legs of the Triple Crown--G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) hero Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) and market leader Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), victorious in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) in the spring. Only once...

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...