Asia’s big racing is in Japan this weekend, and the Group One Takarazuka Kinen featuring a sensational field including a couple of horses which might be headed for the Melbourne spring carnival later this year.
Kitasan Black, Toho Jackal and Curren Mirotic have all been mentioned as potential Cups horses but they won’t find it easy in this race over 2,100m against some of the very best in a race where the make up of the field is voted for by racing fans.
Lovely Day and Satono Crown tasted defeat behind Werther in the QE II Cup in Hong Kong when the wet track was against them but return home to a firm track and should be much tougher nuts, and will compete for favouritism with last year’s star three-year-old Duramente, was arguably unlucky in Dubai on World Cup night after having to race missing a shoe.
In a race chockful of class, the 2014 Japanese Derby winner One And Only lines up along with Japan Cup placegetter Staphanos and Fame Game, a horse well known in Australia after campaigning there last year.
The countdown to the end of the season is on in Hong Kong, but coming sooner for some than others.
Chad Schofield has his last day on Sunday after yet another suspension last weekend and he misses the last three cards of what has been a very good first season. He is three wins short of his target of 35 and looks unlikely to reach it, with his rides on Sunday a mixed bag, the best of them Unicorn and talented but brittle Soul Achiever.
The count is also on to see where Joao Moreira can leave his high water mark. A treble midweek left him on 158 wins and many fancy him to get to 170. He has some great chances to progress that agenda, with Happy Friendship, a last start runaway winner, in the opener and Ho Ho Feel, Diamond Friends, Joyful Trinity and Love Shock all look strong winning hopes.
By Nathan Mody
