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Could this turn out to be a family affair?

The Yokoyama family has got three representatives riding in it – we can remember two family members but three and in a Classic is quite unusual.  Father Norihiro rides Top Knife, son Kazuo rides Bellagio Opera and younger son Takeshi is on the favourite, Sol Oriens.

Sol Oriens, by Kitasan Black, is on 1.8.  He's unbeaten and at his last outing won the Satsuki Sho impressively and is the logical favourite here.

Next best is another Kitasan Black colt, Skilfing on 5.5 with Christophe Lemaire riding.  Phantom Thief is by Harbinger and he's a big boy who will be suited by the Fuchu course.  Yutaka Take is riding and they are on 6.6.

And Tastieri, by Satono Crown, is the last of the runners in single figures and will have Damian Lane in the irons and they are on 9.0.

And for our roughie we are putting in Dura Erede – the Duramente progeny are doing so well at present and he's on 28.3 so we will do a small e/w here.

Following the Derby in a strange quirk of programming (the Derby should be the last race and the Meguro Kinen is usually a couple of races before the Derby) is the G2 Megura Kinen over 2500m.  Favourite here is Salieri, one of several Deep Impacts in the field, on 2.8 with Lemaire riding.  Another Deep Impact is Pradaria on 5.5 with Ikezoe riding and then we like the filly Lilac, who is a daughter of Orfevre and is on 6.2 with Mirco Demuro on board.

Zaffiro, another Deep Impact, is on 9.9 with Kawada riding and Heat On Beat – this time by King Kamehameha (but a Deep Impact dam) is on 11.3 for Damian Lane.

Sad news from Darley Japan this week that the lovely Discreet Cat has crossed the rainbow bridge at the age of 20.