THE Triple Crown is a much revered accolade in Japanese racing circles. The title is reserved for a three-year-old who wins all three of their respective classics. For fillies, the races are the Oka Sho (1600 metres), Yushun Himba (2400 metres) and the Shuka Sho (2000 metres).

A stunning winner of both the Oka Sho (Guineas) and the Yushun Himba (Oaks), Almond Eye was widely expected to once again dominate proceedings in the Shuka Sho. Uncharacteristically fractious in the preliminaries, the 3/10 favourite broke slowly from stall 11 and was forced to race in the rear of mid-division.

Aided by a sedate early pace, Almond Eye remained in an increasingly problematic position as the field of 17 runners bunched on the final bend. Manoeuvred towards the centre of the track, she got a clear run and instantaneously began to cut down her rivals with ease.

In the colours of Silk Racing Club, the daughter of Lord Kanaloa passed the winning pos,t under a supremely confident Christophe Lemaire, a length-and-a-half winner in front of the rapturous Kyoto grandstand.

Front-running Mikki Charm, while having no answer for the winner, held on gamely for second place, with Cantabile a further length behind in third.

Almond Eye is the fifth filly in JRA history to claim the Fillies’ Triple Crown. She is the second to attain this achievement under the care of trainer Sakae Kunieda. He previously guided the illustrious career of 2010 winner Apapane.

The remaining winners are Mejiro Ramonu (1986), Still in Love (2002) and, most recently, Gentildonna (2012).

LEMAIRE LEADING THE WAY

It was an 18th JRA Group 1 win for reigning champion and this season’s runaway leading jockey Christophe Lemaire. The French-born rider holds a 38-winner lead over Mirco Demuro.

A maiden winner from two starts as a juvenile, Almond Eye is now a winner of five of her six starts, earning in excess €3,200,000. She is out of the top-class middle-distance Sunday Silence mare Fusaichi Pandora who was Group 1-placed before finishing fifth in the 2006 Japan Cup (2400m).

From the first crop of Japanese Champion Sprinter Lord Kanaloa, Almond Eye is the first Grade 1 winner for her sire. Lord Kanaloa stands at Shadai Stallion Station. He covered a book of 294 mares for the 2018 season while commanding a fee of €61,000.

Guaranteed the title of Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, Almond Eye is now likely to add Horse of the Year to her ever growing CV.

Neither the classic generation of colts nor the older ranks have produced an equivalent standout performer in 2018.

With limited options for fillies in the autumn campaign, Almond Eye is in a position where a race against colts and older horses in Japan’s most prestigious race, the Japan Cup, must be under consideration.

Another possible avenue for her is the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II for fillies and mares, run over 2200 metres.

This was the preferred route taken by Kunieda with Fillies’ Triple Crown winner Apapane.