G1 Tokyo Daishoten

Flying the flag for the National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit, Diktaean emerged from Monday's G1 Tokyo Daishoten as a popular winner after the son of King Kamehameha produced a brave effort to deny hot favourite Mikki Fight (Drefong) at Ohi Racecourse. Trained locally by Katsunori Arayama, Diktaean raced enthusiastically in mid-division through the early stages, before enjoying the perfect tow from Mikki Fight when that rival began to engage top gear on the home turn. Everything appeared to be going to plan for the market leader when Christophe Lemaire...

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan, post time: 15:40, ARIMA KINEN (THE GRAND PRIX)-G1, ¥960,040,000, 3yo/up, 2500mT Field: Excite Bio (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Museum Mile (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}), Regaleira (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}), Meisho Tabaru (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Chevalier Rose (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}), Mystery Way (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}), Meiner Emperor (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), Admire Terra (Jpn) (Rey De Oro...

Billed as Japan's richest race, the ¥960,040,000 (€5.2m) G1 Arima Kinen sees a slew of Group 1 winners vying for its ¥500,000,000 (€2.7m) first-place prize. Leading the way in the advance markets and by total votes delivered by the voting public is four-year-old mare Regaleira. The three-time Group 1 winner by Suave Richard will carry the silks of Sunday Racing. Christophe Lemaire will ride the daughter of Roca (Harbinger), who claimed the 2023 Hopeful Stakes--won today by Lovcen--the 2024 Arima Kinen, and last month's Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Assistant trainer...

With primarily older runners drawn in for Thursday's G1 Tokyo Daishoten S. at Ohi Race Course, a field of 13, plus one mare, took to the dirt in an attempt to notch a well-earned victory. The eventual winner, battle-tested Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), came into the race sporting his most-successful campaign to-date. In 2022 alone, the 5-year-old has recorded stakes victories in three of his last four starts with the last one coming Nov. 27 at Hanshin Race Course by 2 1/2 lengths in the Canopus S. Sent off...

Omega Perfume (Jpn) (Swept Overboard) maintained his dominance in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten and ran out a half-length winner for the fourth time at Oi Racecourse on Wednesday. The charismatic 6-year-old entire was sent off at 4-5 for the NAR circuit showpiece. The Reiko Hara colourbearer was content to race near the rear of the pack as Castle Top (Jpn) (Bamboo Ere {Jpn}) cleared his rivals and raced on an uncontested lead. After entering the backstretch, Omega Perfume began to make inroads toward the front, and with less than a...

Omega Perfume (Jpn) (Swept Overboard) completed a unique hat trick with his narrow win in Tuesday's 2000-metre G1 Tokyo Daishoten. He is the first Japanese horse to win the same Group 1 race three years in a row. Outfooted early in the initial charge from the stalls, the grey rated in eighth three off the fence into the first turn. A bit keen in the opening quarter mile, the 1-5 chalk progressed up to sixth as Work and Love (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) held a three length advantage on the field....