G1 Tenno Sho Spring

Croix du Nord (Kitasan Black) claimed the fourth Group 1 success of his career when clinging on by the barest of margins to win Sunday's Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto, justifying short odds but not without giving his supporters a huge scare as longshot Wurttemberg (Kitasan Black) rattled home to force a photo finish. Racing beyond 2,400 metres for the first time in his career, Croix du Nord raced enthusiastically for Yuichi Kitamura in the early stages of this 3,200-metre showpiece, before settling into his rhythm with only five ahead...

Sunday, Kyoto, Japan, post time: 15:40, TENNO SHO (SPRING)-G1, ¥570,000,000, 4yo/up, 3200mT Field: Vermicelles (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), Sunrise Soleil (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Admire Terra (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Aqua Vernal (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), Keiai Sandera (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}), Echt (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), Croix Du Nord (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Precious Day (Jpn) (New Year's Day), Meiner Campana (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), Tagano Dude (Jpn) (Yamakatsu Ace {Jpn}), Redentor (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), Mystery Way (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}), Hohelied (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}),...

Champion juvenile. Derby winner. Last out G1 Osaka Hai hero Croix Du Nord is hunting his fourth Group 1 in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Spring), and, if he pulls off victory in the 15-horse field, the son of Kitasan Black will have emulated his Classic-winning sire. A two-time winner of Japan's longest top-tier contest at 3200 metres in 2016/2017, Kitasan Black claimed seven victories at the highest table. Croix Du Nord tries the 3200-metre trip for the first time on Sunday and will partner with Yuichi Kitamura. If he pulls it...

Last year's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) runner-up Redentor made the breakthrough at the top level with a hard-fought victory in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto, producing a gutsy performance to justify favouritism in the hands of Damian Lane. Trained by Tetsuya Kimura, of Equinox fame, Redentor raced in a share of sixth position as the 15 runners went by the winning post for the first time in this 3,200-metre contest, with longshot Jean Kazuma taking the field along at just a modest gallop. Angled to the outside...

In his first victory at the highest level, T O Royal (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) swept to the lead and never looked back, leaving the race for second in the G1 Tenno Sho Spring in Kyoto on Sunday. Coming into the contest with two Group victories from as many jumps in 2024, by name the G3 Diamond S. Feb. 17 and G2 Hanshin Daishoten S. Mar. 17, T O Royal had redemption to claim, having finished third in the 2022 edition of the G1 Tenno Sho Spring S. held at Hanshin....

A bumper field has been declared for Sunday's G1 Tenno Sho (Spring), with 18 runners set to do battle over the 3,200-metre distance at Kyoto Racecourse. The race is run over a longer trip than any other Group 1 in the JRA calendar and staying was typically the name of the game last year when Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) ground his rivals into submission with a dominant performance under Christophe Lemaire. Justin Palace is a notable absentee from this year's line-up, but the likes of Deep Bond (Jpn)...

Installed the second choice behind G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) defending winner Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente (Jpn), Masahiro Miki's Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact (Jpn) followed up on a last-time out victory in the Mar. 19 G2 Hanshin Daishoten to post a comfortable victory in the 3,200 meter fixture, held for the first time at the newly-renovated Kyoto Racecourse. "The horse was calm throughout the race and I was sure that he was going to win when we moved up behind Deep Bond entering the straight," commented winning rider Christophe Lemaire. "He...

Hiroshi Yamada's Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) looms large in Sunday's G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto. The accomplished 5-year-old entire, if he defends his crown in the 3200-metre affair, will be the sixth horse to pull off the double in consecutive years. Successful in the 3000-metre G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) as a 3-year-old, the versatile bay added the 2022 edition of this race and the G1 Takarazuka Kinen, cutting back 1000 metres, last June. An attempt at the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in boggy ground was...

Classic hero Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) secured the 3200-metre G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) in wire-to-wire fashion at Hanshin on Sunday. The first winner to make all of the running since Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}) in 2016, Titleholder was followed home by multiple group winner Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who was second in 2021, as well. The progressive G3 Diamond S. winner T O Royal (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) ran third. Second choice in the wagering at 7-2 behind the even-money pick Deep Bond who also won the G2...

A full field of 18 line up for Sunday's ¥380,000,000 G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) at Hanshin. Leading the charge in the 3200-metre feature, one of the most lucrative staying contests on the planet, is Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}). Still hunting for his first Group 1 win, the 5-year-old has won two editions of the G2 Hanshin Daishoten, and even took his show on the road last year, with a victory in the G2 Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp. He detested the heavy going in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de...

The G1 Tenno Sho (Spring), first run at Hanshin in 1938, was subsequently moved to Kyoto, but returns to Hanshin for the 2021 renewal as Kyoto undergoes extensive renovation this spring. Among this season's likely favorites, Aristoteles (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) finished runner up behind 2020 Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) in last fall's G1 Kikura Sho (Japanese St. Leger) before taking the 2,200-meter G2 American Jockey Club Cup at Nakayama Jan. 24. Heavily favored in his latest start in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten over 3,000 meters Mar. 21, the...

Sunday Racing's Fierement (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) successfully defended his title and took the G1 Tenno Sho Spring by a nose over Stiffelio (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) at Kyoto on Sunday. He is the fifth horse to take the 3200-metre feature in consecutive years, while granting his trainer Takahisa Tezuka his sixth Japanese Group 1 crown and pilot Christophe Lemaire his 29th. Before empty stands as spectatorless racing continues in Japan from the coronavirus, the even-money favourite stayed well off the fence in midfield from his wide draw. Fierement traveled...