Two of Japan’s greatest jockeys, Yutaka Take and Christophe Lemaire, will resume an enduring rivalry in the JPY300 million (approx. HK$15.7 million) G1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan on Sunday (2 November).
Titans in Japan’s riding ranks, Take and Frenchman Lemaire have dominated the Tenno Sho Autumn with a combined 12 wins, including seven of the last eight runnings.
Take, 56, holds the race record with seven victories spanning five decades – Super Creek (1989), Air Groove (1997), Special Week (1999), Meisho Samson (2007), Vodka (2008), Kitasan Black (2017) and Do Deuce (2024).
Lemaire, 46, has also enjoyed tremendous success in the race, claiming five wins in the past seven editions aboard Rey De Oro (2018), Almond Eye (2019 & 2020) and Equinox (2022 & 2023).
On Sunday, Take rides front-running veteran Meisho Tabaru, dominant winner of the G1 Takarazuka Kinen (2200m) at Hanshin in June, while Lemaire will partner probable favourite Masquerade Ball, runner-up in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2400m) to star colt Croix Du Nord.
Masquerade Ball will compete in open company for the first time, and trainer Takahisa Tezuka is optimistic his charge will acquit himself well.
“He is moving better in morning work now than he used to and is more relaxed. There is no big change in him physically,” Tezuka said. “Last week, Lemaire rode him and got a reading on his quirks. He’ll be competing this time against older horses but I think the distance suits him. With the difference in the assigned weight, and if he can access what he’s got, I’m hopeful.”
Masquerade Ball and fellow three-year-old Museum Mile (Cristian Demuro) are considered the leading contenders for overall honours.
Museum Mile’s trainer Daisuke Takayanagi said: “He’s been beaten at Tokyo Racecourse before, so that’s something to consider. I’m not sure whether it’s the left-handed course or the track layout.
“We’ll see how he handles the race – his gate, his positioning, things like that. In training, I’ve noticed some difference between his left and right leads, so this race will show us exactly where he stands,” he added.
Third in the G1 Victoria Mile (1600m) behind Ascoli Piceno at Tokyo in May, Shirankedo seeks her first Grade 1 victory under Takeshi Yokoyama after a stunning win in the G3 Niigata Kinen (2000m) on 31 August when she stormed from the tail of the field to score.
Trainer Mitsunori Makiura said: “She’s suited to the long stretch and the spacious course.”
Winner of the 2023 Japanese Derby, Tastiera finished second to Do Deuce in the 2024 Tenno Sho Autumn and will be ridden by visiting Australian jockey Damian Lane. Tastiera is among the leading chances along with Brede Weg.
The Tenno Sho Autumn is carded as S3-1 and will be run at 2.40pm (Hong Kong time) on Sunday, 2 November.
