New Look Osaka Hai Draws Classy Field

Sunday's G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin has been upgraded to a Grade 1 event for the first time and this renewal will also serve as a win and you're in style race for the G1 QIPCO Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown in September. The upgrade in both status and purse-money has seen a world class field assemble for the race and a fascinating clash is in store between a couple of last season's Classic winners with a some top class 5-year-olds also in the mix. Chief among them may be last year's G1 Japanese Derby winner Makahiki (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). That Derby win and a subsequent defeat of Midterm (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Qatar Prix Niel at Chantilly left him Japan's great white hope for the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe only for the colt to run no race at all, finishing 14^th of the 16 runners. He went some way to restoring his reputation with a solid third place return to the re-opposing Satono Crown (Jpn) (Marju {Ire}) in the G2 Kyoto Kinen Feb. 12. “Luckily, he came out of the race well and we've kept him in training at Ritto Training Center since,” said his trainer Yasuo Tomomichi. “He had a solid workout on March 23. He needs a fast track, but I think the 2,000-meter distance is the best for him.”

The 5-year-old Satono Crown has already proved he belongs at the top table when he beat GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase in December. Adding further strength in depth is the presence of 2016 Japanese Horse Of The Year Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}). Winner of the G1 Japanese St Leger in 2015, Kitasan Black also won the G1 Tenno Sho last year over two miles before dropping back in trip to twelve furlongs to win the G1 Japan Cup last November. Whether he can successfully drop back further to ten furlongs on his seasonal debut is another question. Yutaka Take, seeking his seventh win in the Osaka Hai is again in the saddle and his trainer Hisashi Shimizu is expecting a bold display from the 5-year-old. “Last week, we clocked him and he looked good and like he still had a lot to give. He can sense that a race is near. As for his condition, I think he looks the best he ever has coming off a layoff.”

Saturday's distance is more likely to suit Dee Majesty (Jpn) who won the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas last April but his recent form is less than inspiring and he needs to improve on his last time effort that saw him finish sixth to Sciachettra (Jpn) (Manhattan Café {Jpn}) in the G2 Nikkei Sho at Nakayama Mar. 25. One who arrives with recent winning form is Yamakatsu Ace (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) following his victory over Lord Vent d'Or (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) in the G2 Kinko Sho over 2000m at Chukyo Mar. 11. He has yet to reach the top three in four attempts to date at Grade 1 level but a more prominent showing on Sunday would be no surprise.