RegaleIra

Now carrying four stars on his saddle cloth for each lifetime Group 1 victory, Croix Du Nord accumulated the most votes for Sunday's 2200-metre G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin. The 2024 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) victor is riding a two-race winning streak, having defeated the re-opposing Meisho Tabaru (Gold Ship) in the 2000-metre Osaka Hai in April. Upped to 3200-metres for the first time on May 3, he won the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) as well. The son of Kitasan Black will earn a berth in the GI Breeders' Cup...

International superstar Forever Young has been named the Japanese Horse of the Year after the selection committee for the 2025 Japan Racing Association (JRA) Awards met on Tuesday. The son of Real Steel is the first dirt horse to be honoured with the Horse of the Year award. Racing in the silks of Susumu Fujita, he was also honoured as the Japanese Best Older Male and Japanese Best Dirt Horse. During 2025, Forever Young prevailed in an epic showdown with Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) in the...

Museum Mile eased the pain of last year's agonising defeat for jockey Cristian Demuro when producing an irresistible late burst to win Sunday's Arima Kinen, the fan-voted 'Grand Prix' of Japan. Returning to Nakayama, the scene of his Classic victory in April's Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas), Museum Mile was settled towards the rear of the 16-strong field in the early stages. Shadowing Danon Decile (Epiphaneia) for much of the race, the son of Leontes swung wide around the final two corners and began to pick off his rivals one...

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...

Last year's Arima Kinen heroine Regaleira returned to winning ways in Sunday's Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto, justifying short odds with the minimum of fuss to register the third top-level success of her career. Trained by Tetsuya Kimura for owners Sunday Racing, Regaleira and jockey Keita Tosaki travelled wide in mid-division through the early stages of this 2,200-metre contest and still had plenty of ground to make up on long-time leader Erika Express (Epiphaneia) as the 16 runners entered the home straight. Paradis Reine (Kizuna), who finished one place...

Sunday, Kyoto, Japan, post time: 15:40, QUEEN ELIZABETH II CUP-G1, ¥252,980,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 2200mT Field: Paradis Reine (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), Shinryokuka (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}), Kana Tape (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Safira (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Erika Express (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), Regaleira (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}), Vermicelles (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), Bond Girl (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), Sekitoba East (Jpn) (Declaration Of War), Verehrung (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), Coconuts Brown (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Kelly Fled Ask (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), Aurora X...

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...

Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen is one of two races run annually in Japan whose lineup is determined by the racing public. The $5-million GI Breeders' Cup Turf qualifier was moved a couple of weeks earlier on the calendar to avoid the very hot weather of the Japanese summer, and a field of 17 have stood their ground. Leading the way by votes is Bellagio Opera, the two-time winner of the G1 Osaka Hai, who finished third in last year's edition. The 5-year-old entire blitzed the 2025 2000-metre Osaka Hai at...

An initial batch of 78 entries for the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe have been released by France Galop. One of the leading fancies is last year's runner-up, the Wertheimers' Aventure, by 2009 Arc hero Sea The Stars. The 4-year-old filly won the G3 Prix Allez France at ParisLongchamp in April. Other 2024 Arc runners are also back for more in 2025 G2 Mooresbridge Stakes hero and Arc third Los Angeles (Camelot) for the Coolmore partners, Arc fourth Sosie (Sea The Stars)--successful in the 2025 G1 Prix Ganay...

Perfect in two starts, including a victory over 2000 metres already at this early stage in his career, Susumu Fujita's Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) can well and truly stamp himself a leading contender for next year's Japanese Classics when he takes on a full field in Thursday's G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama, the final top-level event on the JRA circuit for 2023. Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux, the chestnut is--as has been well documented--a full-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) and was hammered down...