World Series Racing Championship - 13^th Leg

Japan Cup - 24 November 2002

Form Comments

Bright Sky

A three-year-old contender from France, Bright Sky is a well-bred filly by Wolfhound out of G2 winner Bright Moon.  The Elie Lellouche-trained filly has never finished out of the money and she captured her first G1 successes in the Prix de Diane Hermes in June and won the G1 Prix de l'Opera in October last time out.

Falbrav

The invader from Italy, Falbrav captured two consecutive G1 victories in the G1 Premio Presidente della Repubblica in May and the G1 Grand Premio di Milano in June. The four-year-old son of Fairy King finished disappointing ninth in the Arc in October. Should be well suited to the firm track at Nakayama. 

Golan

Winner of the 2000 Guineas last year, Golan is preparing for a second Japan Cup run having finished sixth to Jungle Pocket last year. Eight months passed before his next outing in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, when he defeated Nayef after a great tussle. Nayef got his revenge, however, in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York in August. Golan is trained by Sir Michael Stoute, who won this race for two straight years in the 1990s.

Indigenous

Admirable veteran of many an international campaign. Making his third Japan Cup raid having finished second to Special Week in 1999 and seventh to Jungle Pocket last year. Other creditable international performances last season arrived in the Hong Kong Vase (3rd to Stay Gold), a very fast-finishing 3rd to the Japanese stars Eishin Preston and Agnes Digital in the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup and filling the same position behind Grandera in the Singapore Airlines International Cup in May.

Irresistible Jewel

A three-year-old filly by Danehill, Irresistible Jewel earned her first Pattern success in the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes in June defeating Shadow Dancing who finished third in the Vodafone Oaks this year. The Irish contender won the G3 Aga Khan Studs Blandford Stakes at Curragh against older fillies and mares in September before finishing runner-up to Bright Sky in G1 Prix de l'Opera in October. 

Sarafan

The only invader from U.S.A this year, Sarafan finished runner-up in this year's G1 Arlington Million Stakes. The 7yo gelding from the Neil Drysdale stable earned his first G1 triumph in the Eddie Read Handicap in July, and, after a close second the Arlington Million in August, Sarafan finished runner-up in G1 Clement L Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship Stakes in October prior to finishing fourth in G3 Morvich Handicap last time out.

Storming Home

Another contender from Great Britain, the four-year-old son of Machiavellian Storming Home captured his first G1 title in 18 starts in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket last time out. Since the application of sheepskin cheek pieces, his performance has shown great improvement, viz. victory in the Godolphin Stakes by six lengths on 4 October before his Champion Stakes success.  Trainer Barry Hills feels he will relish the firm going and the 2200m distance.

Jungle Pocket

Last year's JRA Horse of the Year, Jungle Pocket has made just two starts this year.  The defending champion finished runner-up to Narita Top Road in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten in March and finished second again in the G1 Tenno Sho in April. The Sakae Watanabe-trained 4yo was supposed to have raced in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot in July, but the trip was scratched because of a problem in his off hind leg. A bold showing is anticipated in the Japan Cup.

Symboli Kris S

Leading three-year-old Symboli Kris S, trained by Kazuo Fujisawa, finished runner-up to Tanino Gimlet in the Japanese Derby in May.  After four months summer vacation, he won the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai in September and captured his first G1 success in the G1 Tenno Sho, against top older horses, last time out.

No Reason

No Reason fell at the start of the G1 Kikuka Sho last time out and unseated his jockey. However he won this year's Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and finished second in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai in September, his first run since running eighth in the Japanese Derby. Expected to act well against the older horses in the Japan Cup.

Narita Top Road

Narita Top Road is seeking his second G1 win outside of the 1999 Kikuka Sho. The six-year-old Soccer Boy horse finished third in last year's Cup, and this year he won the G2 Kyoto Kinen as his seasonable debut in February, the G2 Hanshin Daishoten in March and the G2 Kyoto Daishoten in October, however could not capture the Tenno Sho titles in both spring and autumn. 

Magnaten

A six-year-old gelding by Danzig, Magnaten is aiming for his fourth straight success. The run started with a triumph in the NST Open (set a track record in the process) followed by a second G3 Sekiya Kinen win and success in the G2 Mainichi Okan last month. Magnaten usually makes the running, however his best trip is from 1400m to 1600m, and this is his first time over the 2200m.

American Boss

The seven-year-old veteran American Boss is winless since the G2 Nakayama Kinen in February 2000. The Kingmambo horse ended up his 2001 season in the Grand Prix Arima Kinen when he was runner-up to Manhattan Café, and his reappearance this season was G1 Yasuda Kinen in June when finishing disappointing 13th. He is aiming for his first G1 success.

T.M.Ocean

The JRA's champion juvenile filly in 2000, T.M.Ocean will be the first filly to win the Japan Cup if successful on Sunday. Last year's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) and G1 Shuka Sho winner ended up to finish sixth in G1 Grand Prix Arima Kinen, and after the eight months long vacation, she made a winning seasonal debut in the G2 Sapporo Kinen in August prior to finishing a disappointing 13th in G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) last time out. Trainer Katsuichi Nishiura put this performance down to a considerable loss of weight after the trip from the Ritto Training Centre to Nakayama. The filly is now stationed at the Miho Training Center, which is much closer to Nakayama.

Air Shakur

Air Shakur was one of the top classic horses of 2000 in winning the Japanese 2000 Guineas and St. Leger. This season, the 5-y-o horse by Sunday Silence finished second in the G2 Osaka Hai in March as his seasonal debut, finished runner-up again in the G2 Kinko Sho in May, finished fourth in the Grand Prix Takarazuka Kinen in June and the G1 Tenno Sho(Autumn). Tends to do his best work at the finish.

Agnes Flight

The 2000 Japanese Derby winner Agnes Flight has won since his greatest ever triumph. The very well-bred five-year-old horse, by Sunday Silence out of the JRA champion four-year-old filly Agnes Flora, was sidelined for 19 months since finishing a disappointing tenth in the G2 Osaka Hai in April last year, and his reappearance on the track was G1 Tenno Sho(Autumn) was worse in 15th place last time out.