3 minute read

One of the two G1 dirt races in Japan this edition looks very interesting.

It's without a couple of the top players who are either in the Middle East or heading that way but for the record this is the 41st running of the race and it is over 1600m at Tokyo on the dirt track.

Favourite is the lightly raced Omega Guiness on 3.2 with Lemaire riding but we are leaning slightly to the second fav Wilson Tesoro on 4.7 with Matsuyama on board.  Visiting jockey Murzabayev is on Dura Erede on 6.0 and we like him too but wait for it – there's a girl or rather two girls taking on the boys here:  Rachel King is riding the mare Alpha Mom who gets the weight allowance and has good recent form on the dirt and Rachel as we know is going great guns. 

The three Japanese runners in the Amir's Trophy in Doha ran 2, 3 and 4 – more of that anon.