3 minute read

Starting from the car park was no problem for Songline and jockey Tosaki-san.

They settled into a comfortable position on the outside and once into the straight she knew what she had to do and did it, reeling in the opposition and drawing clear from Serafos in the last 50m to win by 1 ¼ lengths, with Schnell Meister who started favourite just nudging out our toughie Gaia Force for the third spot.  So three of the four "s' named horses took the first three places!

Sodashi tried her best but was one paced coming up the hill – maybe she needed Damian Lane's magic touch but he was applying that to Serafos.  Jack d'Or rode an honest race and without much luck but still managed to finish 5th.

Songline now becomes the third horse to win back-to-back Yasuda Kinens, and she did it in the year that celebrated the race's found Izaemon Yasuda's 150th birthday.

The first three home become eligible for some nice overseas races over the 1600m – the Jacques Le Marois and Prix du Moulin in France and the Breeders Cup Mile.