Star filly Almond Eye tops the bill for the G1 Shuka Sho over 2000m at Kyoto, Japan on Sunday, 14 October.
The daughter of Lord Kanaloa will go to post for the final leg of the Fillies’ Triple Crown seeking to become the fifth filly to win all three fillies’ classics in Japan this term. Her trainer, Sakae Kunieda, achieved the feat previously with Apapane in 2010.
Almond Eye took the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) over 1600m in April and followed up in the 2400m G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) six weeks later. In that second leg of the triple tiara, she topped the 17-runner field with the fastest sectional time over last 600m in 33.2 seconds to beat Lily Noble by two lengths.
After enjoying a summer break, the bay went back to Miho Training Centre on 12 September to prepare for her autumn season. On Wednesday, 10 October she galloped for 800m on the uphill course at Miho under Christophe Lemaire, and covered the last 200m in 12.5 seconds.
Trainer Kunieda said: “The surface on the hill course was very good. She showed marvelous performance today. She is a really talented filly. When she came back home after her summer break, I thought she had matured both physically and mentally. The inner course at Kyoto gives the inside horses more advantages, but if she runs her race there is no issue.”
Jockey Christophe Lemaire said: “The time of her gallop was really quick, but it was an easy gallop for her. She is very well-balanced, moved nicely and her breathing was really good.”
Last year’s JRA Champion two-year-old filly Lucky Lilac claimed the G2 Tulip Sho (1600m) at Hanshin in March. Having suffered her first defeat when second to Almond Eye in the G1 Oka Sho, Lucky Lilac was third to the season’s standout filly in the G1 Yushun Himba.
Some swelling in her right hind leg after that latter race means that she will return from a five-month layoff on Sunday. Lucky Lilac returned to Ritto Training Centre on 13 September and galloped over 1200m on Wednesday under an exercise rider, clocking the last 200m in 11.6 seconds.
Trainer Mikio Matsunaga said: “She becomes really powerful. She will not be disadvantaged from the long time off. She moved very nicely this morning and accomplished what she needed to today.”
Meanwhile, the G3 Flower Cup (1800m) winner Cantabile did not seem suited to the 2400m in the Japanese Oaks when 13th. However in the G2 Rose Stakes (1800m), she tracked handily, caught the lead turning for home and drove clearly by 1-1/4 lengths.
Jockey Yutaka Take, who secured his 4000th JRA victory last month, will pair with Cantabile for the first time with December’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races in mind.
Cantabile galloped in accompany with a six-year-old mare on the woodchip course at Ritto Training Centre on Thursday (11 October) morning.
The three-year-old’s work rider Masafumi Matsuda said: “I focused to control her in today’s gallop. In terms of speed and the amount of work she needed, she accomplished what I wanted. Her muscle has developed over the summer and she has improved her running style.
“The only concern is she gets easily overexcited on the race day, but Yutaka Take will ride her. There is nothing to worry about Take’s tactics. I hope she will win the race and receive the invitation for the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.”
The Deep Impact-sired filly Salacia showed that she has a strong stretch run when taking second in the G2 Rose Stakes latest, having put on 20kg since spring. Salacia galloped on woodchip on Wednesday morning over 1200m, clocking the last 200m in 11.7 seconds.
Trainer Manabu Ikezoe said: “I understand Almond Eye is a brilliant closer, so I hope Salacia can settle in a more forward position than Almond Eye and save for a late run. The key will be the position she takes from the start to the first corner.”
