This Sunday (23 June), marks the 65th running of the G1 Takarazuka Kinen (2200m), the last of Japan’s big races until autumn. For the first time in 18 years, the race moves to Kyoto from its usual venue of Hanshin Racecourse.

Unlike the majority of Japan’s big events, and coming three weeks after the spring barrage of Group 1s, the Takarazuka’s gate is rarely filled to its maximum capacity of 18. This year, only 13 runners are set to vie for the top prize of 220 million yen (approx. HK$10.97 million).

Like the G1 Arima Kinen (2500m), the Takarazuka has its field chosen in part by fan balloting. Triple Group 1 champ Do Deuce, a Heart’s Cry five-year-old, monopolised the ballot count with more than 238,000 votes placed in the hopes of his making an appearance. He and 2023 G1 Tenno Sho Spring (3200m) winner Justin Palace (fifth in the balloting and third in the Takarazuka last year) are also expected to be neck and neck for race favouritism. Three other runners from the top 10 ballot winners – Bellagio Opera, Deep Bond and Sol Oriens – have also accepted the Takarazuka challenge.

Though Do Deuce is proven at the top level, with a win of the 2021 G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (1600m), the G1 Japanese Derby (2400m) the following year, and last year’s Arima Kinen, Justin Palace’s only big victory was the 2023 G1 Tenno Sho Spring. Still, he has made the top three in five of his nine Group 1 bids at home despite a mix of seven riders amid a 14-start career, and this time sees him back with Christophe Lemaire (Takarazuka-winning jockey in 2021 and 2023).

Lemaire has a perfect record on Justin Palace with four wins, including the Tenno Sho Spring.

Both Do Deuce and Justin Palace will be taking on their first race of the year at home after returning from Dubai (Do Deuce was fifth in the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m), Justin Palace fourth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m)) and how well they can weather the nearly three-month span upon their return is the big question.

Seen as the super duo’s biggest rivals are Rousham Park and Bellagio Opera, with Blow The Horn, Rouge Eveil and Struve also seen as strong possibilities.

Rousham Park, a Harbinger five-year-old who finished eighth in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) last year, is fresh with only one start this year, a second in the G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) on 31 March. A highly consistent runner raced exclusively in the 1800-2200m range, he has only two finishes out of the top three from 12 starts. He won the G2 Sankei Sho All Comers (2200m) at Nakayama, a track similar to Kyoto, and he’ll be partnered with Keita Tosaki.

Bellagio Opera, a four-year-old colt by sprint champion Lord Kanaloa, has shown his mettle over longer distances, with five firsts and one second over 1800-2200m in eight career starts. Second by three-quarter length to Pradaria in the G2 Kyoto Kinen (2200m) in February, also run at Kyoto, Bellagio Opera returns from a win of the G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) on 31 March.

The biggest factor this year may be the weather with rain predicted every day from Friday for the Kyoto area. Pradaria, Bellagio Opera and Deep Bond have all performed well over soft going and Do Deuce’s fourth in the G2 Prix Niel (2400m) over soft ground at Longchamp in 2022 could bode well.