Japanese racing

Sunday Racing's Luftstrom (Jpn) (Kinshasa no Kiseki {Aus}) maintained his unbeaten record with a half-length win in the 1600-metre G2 New Zealand Trophy at Nakayama on Saturday. Second choice in the wagering at 7-2, the colt raced near the tail of the field one off the fence for the first half-mile. Unleashing a sizzling burst once spun to the outside of all but Win Greatest (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) nearing the final bend, he appeared to clip heels and was steadied. Balanced up by Shu Ishibashi, he regained his momentum and...

Coronavirus cases in Japan spiked on Sunday, leading to a state of emergency in some regions set to be declared by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the South China Morning Post reported on Monday. One-hundred forty-three new coronavirus cases in Tokyo were confirmed on Apr. 5, bringing the total in Japan to 4,563. The state of emergency, made possible by a recently amended law, empowers local authorities to instruct the public to stay at home and request the closure of schools and other facilities. Racing in Japan, which has continued...

Second choice on the board at 3-1 after favoured Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), 2017 Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) claimed her third Group 1 title in Sunday's 2000-metre G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin. The normally well-attended Japanese meetings have been held behind closed doors for several weeks now due to the coronavirus pandemic. Happy to take a sit in third behind Danon Kingly with Jinambo (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) pushing him in second a half-length back into the first corner, Lucky Lilac was perfectly...