G1 Satsuki Sho

Last year's G1 Hopeful Stakes hero Lovcen took the G1 Satsuki Sho field pillar-to-post and set a new record of 1:56.50 in the process for the 2000 metres over firm turf on Sunday. The Forest Racing runner brought up a Japanese Guineas double for jockey Kohei Matsuyama, who'd won the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) aboard Star Anise (Drefong) last Sunday. Although the winner was bred in Japan by Northern Farm, there was a distinct European flavour in the pedigrees of the top three finishers. The winner is out...

Sunday, Curragh, post time: 15:35, TOTE GUARANTEE, NEVER BEATEN BY SP ALLEGED STAKES-G3, €42,000, 4yo/up, 10fT Field: Trustyourinstinct (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Eastwatch (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Edward Hamilton (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Green Impact (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Omni Man (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Royal Rhyme (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Starford (Ire) (Beckford {GB}), Twain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Beset (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), Bubble Gum (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}), Carolina Jetstream (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}). TDN Analysis: This sees the keenly-anticipated return of TDN Rising...

Saturday, Newbury, post time: 14:00, THE WATERSHIP DOWN STUD TOO DARN HOT GREENHAM STAKES-G3, £100,000, 3yo, c/g, 7fT Field: Albert Einstein (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Alparslan (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), Aqpan (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Ardisia (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}), Gonna Fly (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Needle Match (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Title Role (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Zavateri (Ire) (Without Parole {GB}). TDN Analysis: Albert Einstein is here to make up the minds of the Coolmore collective as to whether to go the mile in two weeks or back in...

He may look like a sprinter and act like a sprinter, but there is obviously something about the way Albert Einstein (Wootton Bassett) operates at Ballydoyle that makes it hard for those who know him to leave a 2,000 Guineas attempt alone. Luckily for us purists, that reticence to rule out the mile sees him steered to Newbury to add much spice to Saturday's G3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes. Defeat here will almost certainly extinguish all hope of going to Newmarket in a fortnight, but unfortunately...

Friday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 16:55, HENRI MATISSE COOLMORE PRIX CLEOPATRE-G3, €73,200, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT Field: Gilded Prize (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Takerya (Fr) (Ectot {GB}), Blanche De Medicis (Ire) (Waldgeist {GB}), Arkansas (Fr) (Sottsass {Fr}), Warriors Whisper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Turbulente (Ire) (Australia {GB}). TDN Analysis: Francis Graffard has yet to win this contest and sends forth Juddmonte's undefeated Gilded Prize in this stepping stone to June's G1 Prix de Diane. Andre Fabre has a record 13 renewals already in the books and is represented here by Blanche...

The Sunday Racing silks were carried to a famous one-two at Nakayama on Sunday, but not in the order expected as Museum Mile (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) toppled the unbeaten Croix du Nord (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) to claim the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas). It was a blistering performance from Museum Mile as he lowered the course record for the 2,000-metre distance at Nakayama in a time of 1:57.00, passing the post with a length and a half to spare over...

To the surprise of no one, pride of place in Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho belongs to the Sunday Silence sire line with eight representatives spread throughout the 18-strong field. The late Shadai Stallion Station luminary's first foals arrived in Japan in 1992, and from that first crop was 1995 Satsuki Sho winner Genuine (Jpn). Six others followed (Ishino Sunday {Jpn}, 1996, Air Shakur {Jpn}, 2000, Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}, 2001, Nishino Sunday {Jpn}, 2003, Daiwa Major {Jpn}, 2004, and Deep Impact {Jpn}, 2005). Sunday Silence saved the best for last, with...

Justin Milano (Jpn) lowered the track record as he came out on top in a stirring finish to Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) at Nakayama Racecourse, adding the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown to a record which now sees him unbeaten in three starts. Keita Tosaki settled Justin Milano in fifth place in the early stages as Meisho Tabaru (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) took the field along at a fierce gallop, racing a few lengths clear of the chasing pack. Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice), who...

The G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) will be held at Nakayama over 2000 metres on Sunday, and this year's edition features Group 1 winner Regaleira (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}), a winner of the Hopeful S. versus the colts over this course and distance in December. The filly, who bears the Sunday Racing colours and will tote four pounds less than her male rivals, leaves from stall 10 under Hiroshi Kitamura. A winner against newcomers at Hakodate last July, she lost her perfect record when third in the Listed Ivy...

In an electrifying display through the late stages, Sixpence (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) overwhelmed nine other rivals and proclaimed himself as one to watch for the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas), dominating the G2 Fuji TV Sho Spring S. on Sunday at Nakayama. Jumping well and close to the pacesetters, Sixpence tucked in neatly behind Allegro Brillante (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}) and that one's closest pursuer Cosmo Buddleja (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) as the pair showed the way. The placings remained consistent until the field passed the 800 metre mark...

Sunday Racing's Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) closed from off the pace to annex Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho, the first leg in Japan's Triple Crown. The victory marked the first win top-level win for both Geoglyph and his trainer, Tetsuya Kimura. Ask Victor More (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) soon went to the front as Geoglyph--in tandem with Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})--traveled on the heels of stablemate Equinox (Jpn) (Kitisan Black {Jpn}) mid-pack. Fanned out a few paths wide turning for home, the colt battled for supremacy with the early pacesetter...

Carrot Farm's undefeated Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) maintained his perfect record with an open-length score in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama on Sunday. Second choice on the board at 27-10, the bay rated in fourth against the fence past the stands the first time as World Revival (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) cut out the first 1000 metres in 1:00.30. That rival ceded the lead to Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) as the field hit the far turn, and Efforia was keeping close tabs on the vanguard in an...