3 minute read

This race is of special interest to Australis because of the 3200m trip.

This year's edition of the G1 is back to Kyoto which will be a new experience for Titleholder, who won the race last year.  Ignore his unfortunate trip to the Arc and the run in the Arima Kinen and consider his 7 lengths in the race last year and his recent 8 lengths winning margin in a recent outing and you can see why he's odds-on 1.5.

Three horses who filled the first 3 placings in last year's Kikuka Sho are here – the winner Ask Victor More is on 9.2, the second Boldog Hos is on 10.1 and the third Justin Palace who is Lemaire's ride is on 5.9.

Damian Lane's mount Silver Sonic is a good e/w roughie on 19.9.  He won the Red Sea Turf in Riyadh this year over the 3000m trip.

On Saturday the G2 Aoba Sho for the 3yos will be run in Tokyo over 2400m.  Skilfing is odds-on here having won two of his three starts to date and he's. by Kitasan Black whose progeny are going well and he'll have Lemaire on board. 

Two colts share the 6.8 next best quote – Heart's Concerto by Heart's Cry and Hishi Taycan by Maurice.

We may have a bit of e/w on Grande Venus, another Kitasan Black, as Damian Lane is riding and he's owned by our friend Kazuhiro Sasaki, the former baseball star.