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Tosen Stardom is back in Australia for another crack at The Championships.
In 2015 he finished a solid 2nd to Contributer in the G1 Ranvet then 5th on an unsuitable wet track to Criterion in the G1 QEII. Tosen Stardom picked up $200k in stakes which would have broke them about even on the trip so they are back for another crack.
This year Tosen Stardom will have only the one start, it is the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes or bust.
JRA rated Tosen Stardom’s Listed race win in November 2015 at 104. They gave him 109 when 5th to A Shin Hikari.
His 7th behind superstar Maurice in the G1 Mile Championships at 112 was his highest rating ever in Japan. This particular race was a world class G1 Mile, a very strong race.
Tosen Stardom’s Body Weight was 494kg and 488kg for the two runs before he went to Australian last time. He has been over 500kg for both his starts in 2016. Maturity or forward planning or both?
After returning from Australia last year fit and well, connections had a throw at the stumps with Tosen Stardom in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen, one of the biggest races in Japan. They missed the stumps, but he finished a decent 5.25L behind another Japanese star in Lovely Day. Outclassed and 2200 probably a bit too far for him, he was then sent for a spell.
The G2 Mainichi Okan in October was a hot race – G1 level basically with several G1 winning horses racing (Isla Bonita, Danon Shark etc). A Shin Hikari stepped up to win his first race at G2 level, he set a blistering pace and A Shin Hikari hung on to win and in doing so ran his best domestic rating of 114 ( he then magically (!) bounced to 123 in Hong Kong somehow). Tosen Stardom got home great and beat home some strong horses (Spielberg, Ambitious, Staphanos etc) for his 109 rating.
Next, on November 1 Tosen Stardom dropped back a few pegs in class to Listed level (for an easy kill perhaps?) and won a fast run 1800m Cassiopeia Stakes (1.45.7). His winning rating of 104 basically describes the class of those he beat in recording his first win in 11 months. However a win is a win and Tosen Stardom did what he had too. His closing 600m in 33.9 was impressive and up with the best times for the day.
Bouncing off the Cassiopeia Stakes win Tosen Stardom again stepped up to the big league in the G1 Mile Championship and it was a strong, world class level G1 won by Maurice in a blistering 1:32.8. Tosen Stardom raced right on the fast pace and fought on great to run a personal best. Tosen Stardom’s own time was 133.3, home in 34.1, he was only 3L off the champ Maurice at the end. Hot form.
6 weeks later Tosen Stardom kicked off 2016 with a 10th in the G3 Kyoto Kimpai, again over a Mile. Fractious before the start (see replay) he missed the kick and ended up a distinct last. He surged when asked, but had too much to do and did well to finish as close as he did. This was quite a good quality G3 race with several G2 winners competing. It is worth noting that he weighed in at 504kg for this race, that is the heaviest he has ever run in his career. He ran 1.33.8 and got home the last 600 in 34.0. Considering he was fat and blew the start, the run was good.
Tosen Stardom had his last run before departing for Sydney in the G3 Tokyo Shinbun Hai on February 16, again over a Mile. It was a high quality G3.
G1 winner Danon Platina (raced great in HK against Maurice, Able Friend etc), the grey mare that won the race called Smart Layer is G1 placed and has won at G2 level. Grand Silk, Daiwa Liberal and Dashing Blaze (who lost his jockey) are all good class horses up to winning G3 and probably G2 in Japan.
Again Tosen Stardom muffed the start and settled last and again he ran home great. As per the replay he actually ran home all the way just behind Danon Platina whom he was receiving 1kg from. He finished 9th but less then 4L from the winner. He weighed in at 502kg, so still carrying some condition. Tosen Stardom ran the fastest closing 600m, a smoking 32.8 (equal quickest for the race). Danon Platina got home in 33.0.
The winner Smart Layer got home in 33.5, so obviously the jockey paced her beautifully, and the first 4 at the final turn finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th, so those coming from behind needed to be Deep Impact to catch the leaders.
A very good run by Tosen Stardom, but the poor start once again is a concern – that made it twice in a row.
If Tosen Stardom started with the field equally then he might have been going to Australia an impressive last start G3 winner at home instead of the “on paper” average 9th he got!
A major difference leading into his Sydney trip this time has been the distances he raced over at home leading up to The Championships and also the spacing of those runs.
For his 2015 trip down under Tosen Stardom’s last 3 runs were over 2400m then 3000m them 1800m, all as a 3yo in the second half of 2014. The last of those three runs being in mid December 2014 (the last run prior to his 2015 Ranvet 2nd).
As a 3yo Tosen Stardom was of course aimed at the Classic races, he ran in all legs of the Japanese Triple Crown, the last leg being over 3000m in late October 2014.
Tosen Stardom was then whisked off to Sydney early in 2015 for The Championships.
For this current 2016 Sydney tilt Tosen Stardom has raced over 1600m 3 times prior to his Sydney trip, the past two runs were in January and February 2016 so his final domestic runs were much closer to his travel overseas to Sydney this time around.
It would appear that allot more careful planning and preparation has gone into Tosen Stardom’s 2016 shot at the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, whereas it was somewhat of an afterthought in 2015 perhaps?
Tosen Stardom’s G1 Mile Championship run behind Maurice would see him competitive in G1 Miles worldwide, if he can repeat that level over the 2000m of the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes he will be very competitive again.
He has been given a chance to run up to his best by a better planned preparation but probably still needs to find another length or two to win.
The harder the track and the faster the race is run the better Tosen Stardom will be suited. No body weights announced in old world racing, so have to guess there, but would love to see him weighing around 496kg on race day.
Tosen Stardom is a good, honest, hard working G3 level JRA horse with a decent splash of talent. He showed last time at The Championships that he is around G1 level in Australia and with a better planned preparation and stronger lead up form he may just find the extra in 2016.
Let’s see.
