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First up as one of the Japan Racing Association’s top two sprints of the year, the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) will be held this Sunday at Chukyo Racecourse in the city of Nagoya.
This year, though the field sees no single standout, does see one of the strongest bids from overseas since the race was opened to foreign-based runners in 2001. Aerovelocity will become Hong Kong’s first contender in this race and he will only be the third overseas horse to fly in from abroad for the race, as well as the first in 12 years.
The winner of the G1 Lomgines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) in December just ran second latest in the HKG1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on 15 February. He will surely be among the top picks come Sunday. With Zac Purton in the saddle, the Paul O’Sullivan-trained gelding may be able to bring Hong Kong its first win in this G1 race.
The question will be whether the six-year-old will find the Chukyo turf to his liking, as well as the left-handed track and the course undulations that tend to result in slower times. With previous Hong Kong sprint champions such as Silent Witness and Ultra Fantasy proven successful in Japan in the G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m), a Hong Kong victory in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen could well be a possibility.
Expected top choices from the home team include the six-year-old mare Straight Girl, who ran third in last year’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen and is still seeking for her first G1 win. Having finished second in the Sprinters Stakes last year, she again proved herself to be a potent force when running a game third, a length behind winner Aerovelocity, in the Hong Kong Sprint last December.
The four-year-old Mikki Isle has the early speed needed to handle the Takamatsunomiya Kinen with aplomb. Second last out in the G3 Hankyu Hai (1400m), it will be the Deep Impact’s son first start over 1,200m, but his early speed may see him able to hold his ground.
Other leading hopes are Sudden Storm, who had a rough time since the summer of 2013, but he seems to have recovered as of last fall. His blistering late kick could prove advantageous if coupled with an inside draw. Sakura Gospel will be taking part in this race for the fourth time, with his fourth in the 2013 renewal being the best performance of all. The 7-year-old is fresh off a win in the G3 Ocean Stakes (1200m). He is capable to make the top spots if he remains calm during the long trip from his home base of Miho, as well as getting good cover during the race. Red Oval, third in last year’s Sprinters Stakes, had failed to handle the sloppy track in this race last year. Though she has yet to win at Chukyo, it will be premature to say that she is unsuited to this track. Her second run after returning from a spell may see better results this year. Am Ball Bleiben will be making her first appearance at the G1 level. The 6-year-old mare showed her fine form when she tallied three firsts and a second in her last four starts, including a couple of G3 wins.
Reigning champion Copano Richard will likely remain popular with fans. Last year it saw him coming off a win in the G3 Hankyu Hai, but he went off a sixth in the same race this year. He also failed to win in his five subsequent starts following his success in this race 12 months ago.
Daiwa Maggiore may be good for a dark horse wager. Coming off a third in the G2 Hanshin Cup (1400m) under Cristian Demuro, he partnered Mirco Demuro for a win in the Hankyu Hai last time. Mirco Demuro, who has won 10 G1s in Japan, is booked to ride this six-year-old, and he will be aiming for his first top-level victory since he received his full-term JRA riding licence. It will be Daiwa Maggiore’s first try over this distance. Although not many suggesting this horse will be able to make the top spots, the “Mirco magic” factor is not one to dismiss.