Japan

As always, Ireland and France have been quicker off the mark when it comes to the Flat turf season, and Britain joins them this Saturday with the opening meeting at Doncaster, which always provides plenty of interest, not least through the Brocklesby Stakes. This year, fittingly, the first two-year-old race in Britain is run in memory of Bill Turner, whose name was a standing dish in the Brocklesby entries and who died last August at the age of 78. With six victories between 1996 and 2013, Turner holds the record...

Currently the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Ka Ying Rising sits on the cusp of history. Tied with Hong Kong wunderkind Silent Witness on 17 consecutive wins by a Hong Kong-trained horse, the son of Shamexpress could set his own record in the 1400-metre G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday. A last out winner of the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup in January, he faces nine rivals. Trainer David Hayes said, "I'm very excited about the opportunity to try and break Silent Witness's record. His...

The likely fields for the rich G1 Saudi Cup card are taking shape, with American champion and Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel) set to defend his crown. Other Japanese entrants are Luxor Café (American Pharoah) and Sunrise Zipangu (Kizuna). Hall of Famer Bob Baffert sends GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Nysos (Nyquist) and GI Goodwood Stakes winner Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach). GII Clark Stakes winner Magnitude (Not This Time) represents Steve Asmussen, while Rattle N Roll (Connect) flies the flag for Kenny McPeek. Other American hopes...

An exciting new chapter is being written at Coolmore Stud with the news that the powerful operation has been granted an ownership licence by the JRA [Japanese Racing Association], meaning it will be represented in that jurisdiction for the first time by two exceptionally-bred runners by Frankel. Four-time leading JRA trainer Mitsu Nakauchida has been entrusted with a Frankel colt out of dual Group 1-winning sprinter Marsha (Acclamation). Meanwhile, a Frankel filly out of Shadow Hunter (Arcano) has already been named Snowscape and is registered in training with Nakauchida. The...

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...

A powerful winner of his three most recent appearances against softer competition, Tomoya Ozasa's T O Elvis (Volatile) made the very most of his first crack at stakes level with a visually stunning, five-length victory in Sunday's G3 Capella Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse. Perhaps a half-step slowly to begin, the lanky dark bay took up an inside position behind midfield after departing gate four and traveled hard against the steel, with jockey Katsuma Sameshima doing his level best to harness the colt's energy. Held together for the run into the...

Already a two-time Group 1 winner Regaleira (Suave Richard) is aiming for her third crown in Sunday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto. The Sunday Racing colourbearer will face 15 rivals and carries the mantle of market favouritism in advance of the big day. Leaving from post seven under Keta Tosaki, the four-year-old filly has a Hopeful Stakes score versus males in her win column at two, and defeated them again in last December's Arima Kinen over 2500 metres. She warmed up for this contest with a victory going...

Northern Farm hosted its mixed sale at the Northern Horse Park on Tuesday which featured a 100 per cent clearance rate for the 66 weanlings offered. These were led by the Kitasan Black colt out of the Listed winner and G1 British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes runner-up Delphinia (Galileo), who was bought by Louisville Racing for ¥460m (approximately €2.6m). The same buyer had also signed up the first foal through the ring, a colt by Epiphaneia from the champion Argentinean two-year-old filly Carta Embrujada (Storm Embrujada) for ¥220m (€1.25m)....

The BBAG October Sale concluded in Germany on Saturday, with lot 294, a Japan colt already named Pace, topping the session when going the way of owner Ahmad Al Shaikh for €43,000. Consigned by Gestut Etzean, Pace is out of the Maxios mare Pray, who is the dam of two winners from as many runners to date. Pray, in turn, is out of the Listed winner and multiple Group-placed Paraisa (Red Ransom), a half-sister to the G1 Premio Roma scorer Potemkin (New Approach) and G2 Oettingen Rennen hero Penalty (Frankel)....

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Sunday running at Kyoto Racecourse: Sunday, October 20, 2025 10th-KYO, ¥35,040,000 ($234k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1400m DANON FIGO (JPN) (c, 3, Into Mischief--Ollie's Candy, by Candy Ride {Arg}), a maiden winner in a pair of juvenile appearances, was off the board in his first...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Tokyo and Kyoto Racecourses: Sunday, October 12, 2025 4th-TOK, ¥14,250,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1300m MON SOUHAIT (c, 2, McKinzie--Fashion World {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}), a $100,000 Keeneland September yearling and $100,000 OBS April breezer (see below), is the latest starter...

Is there an adequate Japanese proverb that conveys the nation's unflinching endeavour to win the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe? Perhaps "Ishi no ue ni mo san nen", to sit patiently on a cold stone for three years which relates to the power of perseverance, or "Nana korobi ya oki", to fall seven times and get up eight, or "Mateba kairo no hiyori ari". The latter points to waiting out the unpredictable to choose the right route and ultimately prevail. Since the country's first real go in 1999...