WITH just two Group 1 races run over a trip of less than a mile on the Japanese fixture list, any group race run over shorter distances are hotly contested by the fastest horses in Japan. A total of 13 runners lined for the Group 2 Centaur Stakes run over six furlongs at Hanshin Racecourse last weekend.
The Godolphin-owned Fine Needle won the two previous runnings. The colt would go on to become Godolphin’s first Group 1 winner in Japan before retiring to their stallion complex as a dual Group 1 winner.
Entering the race with a very different profile to that of sprinting specialist Fine Needle, Tower Of London was sent off favourite to continue his owner’s recent dominance in the race. Although Group 1-placed as a juvenile over a mile, Tower Of London had exclusively excelled over 1,400 metres and above.
In May, the four-year-old carried the famous royal blue Godolphin silks to victory in the seven-furlong Group 2 Keio Hai Spring Cup in a new race record time.
Tower Of London was tried over six furlongs for the first time in June when third in the Hakodate Sprint Stakes. He would subsequently returned over a sprint distance when finishing a narrowly beaten second in the Group 3 Keeneland Cup.
Frustrating
In what has become a frustrating characteristic of Tower Of London’s races, he once again broke slowly forcing him to race at the rear of the field.
Behind a blistering early pace, three consecutive sub 11 second furlongs, Christophe Lemaire travelled eye-catchingly well aboard the February-born colt.
As the field turning into the home-straight, Tower Of London loomed ominously large around the outside of all runners. At the 300 metre mark, Lemaire essentially shook the reins and the race as a contest was over. Tower Of London passed the line an eased-down three-length winner. Despite cruising to the line, the race clock was stopped at 1m 06.7sec, improving upon the 17-year-old race record time.
Fantasist (Lord Kanaloa), a juvenile Group 2 winner last year and in receipt of 3kgs from the winner, was second. The Group 3-winning filly Iberis (Lord Kanaloa) was in receipt of 5kg and finished a further half-length back in third.
While Tower Of London was undoubtedly helped by the quick early pace forcing his stamina to come to the fore in the latter stages, it was impossible not to be impressed by the absolute ease in which a competitive and genuine group quality field was brushed aside.
Tower Of London will be next seen in the Group 1 Sprinter Stakes on September 29th. Connections were also quick to announce intentions of an overseas campaign for the Kazuo Fujisawa-trained colt.
Tower Of London is by Raven’s Pass out of the Dalakhani mare Snow Pine. He is now a winner of six races from 13 starts, with career earnings in excess of €2,300,000. Raven’s Pass has seven individual runners and three winners in Japan.
NORTHERN Farm has announced that its inaugural broodmare sale will be held on the picturesque Northern Horse Park on October 22nd. The same venue is used for Japan’s premier yearling and foal sale, the Select Sale held in early July.
It will consist of 60 lots including fillies out-of-training, barren and in-foal mares. Offerings of note include South American Grade 1 winners Stolen Heart and Studentessa. The latter, a 12-year-old in-foal to Reach The Crown on a February cover, is the dam of four runners and three winners including the listed-placed Admire Pink (King Kamehameha).
Five-year-old Aster is sure to generate much interest as she is carrying her second foal, by the exciting young sire Lord Kanaloa. She is a half-sister to Oka Sho winner Harp Star. The 11-year-old La Fiesta (Special Week), hailing from the family of the recently deceased Deep Impact, will be offered in-foal to Big Arthur. Her fifth produce, a 2019 filly from the first crop of Drefong, was sold for €250,000 at this year’s Select Sale.
Japan’s largest breeding stock sale held by the JS Sales Company will commence their bi-annual broodmare sale at their sales complex in Shizunai on October 23rd.