Celebrating its 70th anniversary, the JPY651 million (approx. HK$32.7 million) G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan on Sunday (5 April) will feature a showdown between G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2400m) winners Danon Decile and Croix du Nord.

In a fitting celebration of the Osaka Hai’s seven-decade history, 2024 Japanese Derby victor Danon Decile and 2025 champion Croix du Nord will square off for the major spoils against several other high-class rivals, including Meisho Tabaru, Shohei and Tagano Dude.

To be ridden by Yuichi Kitamura, Croix du Nord returned to form with a brave fourth to Calandagan in the G1 Japan Cup (2400m). As one of the few horses to race on the pace and stay on in a race decided in record time – 2m 20.30s – the colt has pleased trainer Takashi Saito.

“He wasn’t so smooth going into the first corner last time (in the Japan Cup) but ran on well at the end of the race. He ended up having the toughest trip of all. He really battled well. The first and second horses (Masquerade Ball) in the Japan Cup were strong, but he showed the same ability he had done in the Derby,” Saito said.

“He didn’t run in the Arima Kinen (G1, 2500m) but seems to have kept his condition well while staying at the farm.”

Croix du Nord won four of his first five starts before venturing overseas, winning the G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange (2000m) at ParisLongchamp before failing to handle soft going in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m), tailing out to 14th, in October.

Danon Decile, winner of the 2025 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m), followed his Japan Cup placing with a narrow third in the Arima Kinen behind Museum Mile and is poised to add a third Group 1 under Ryusei Sakai.

Meisho Tabaru toppled Bellagio Opera, winner of the Osaka Hai for the past two years, with a brilliant front-running success in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen (2200m) in June and is ready to atone for a disappointing 13th in the Arima Kinen in December.

Trainer Mamoru Ishibashi said: “He got to the front early on in his last race but unfortunately couldn’t sustain his run to the finish. Thinking about it now, his condition wasn’t quite as good as it was for the Takarazuka Kinen. He’s currently quite relaxed and not so tense as he can be.” 

The five-year-old is unbeaten in three starts at Hanshin.

Several other runners warrant respect, including Lebensstil, Tagano Dude, Yoho Lake and Shohei, who was third to Croix du Nord in the 2025 Japanese Derby and won the G2 American Jockey Club Cup (2200m) at Nakayama in January.

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi said of Shohei: “He was a bit tense in his last race, but come the home straight, he was able to pull right away from the other runners. He’s had a break at Northern Farm Shigaraki, and everything seems fine with him since his return to the stable, and the jockey (Yuga Kawada) has been working him on the woodchip course.”

The G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) is carded as S3-7 and will be run at 2.40pm (Hong Kong time) on Sunday, 5 April.