RACING in Japan, albeit still behind closed doors, continues to entertain the nation while all other sports remain postponed. The government’s declaration of ‘State of Emergency’ has been lifted in 42 of the 47 prefectures.

Infection rates and disruption from the pandemic as of yet have remained low across Japan with clustered outbreaks in densely populated hubs successfully isolated.

The 15th running of the Victoria Mile marks the second of five consecutive weekends of top-level racing at Tokyo Racecourse. Run over a mile, it is just the second Group 1 on the Japanese racing calendar to be restricted to older fillies and mares.

Almond Eye was last seen on Japanese soil when being resigned to ninth place in the 2019 Arima Kinen behind Lys Gracieux in December. Just two weeks prior, connections had to cancel plans to take part in Hong Kong’s International meet on short notice because the mare was found to have a temperature. In March, Almond Eye made the fruitless trip to Dubai for World Cup night, which was called off in light of coronavirus restrictions.

Despite being off the track for nearly five months, such is the support and nationwide interest, Almond Eye was set off as 2/5 favourite to claim her seventh career Group 1.

Lemaire

Under her usual pilot, Christophe Lemaire, she broke evenly to take position in midfield. Running keenly behind a generous early pace, she improved her position to settle into fourth place for much of the race before easily taking the lead approaching the final two furlongs. With just the slightest encouragement from Lemaire, the five-year-old quickly changed legs and sprinted four lengths clear. Heavily eased in the last 100 yards, Almond Eye passed the line a four-length winner, stopping the clock at 1:30.6, 0.1sec outside of the race record. Sound Chiara and 2019 winner Normcore finished second and third respectively.

It was a 17th JRA Group 1 title for trainer Sakae Kunieda and it was a memorable milestone for Lemaire, his 30th JRA Group 1 win.

A record-tying seventh turf Group 1 title marks Almond Eye’s place beside JRA legends Symboli Rudolf, T.M Opera O, Vodka, Kitasan Black, Deep Impact and Gentildonna. With several opportunities remaining this year, it is almost impossible to believe that Almond Eye will not add to her Group 1 haul and set a new record.

Almond Eye is the seventh produce of Group 1-winning mare Fusaichi Pandora (by Sunday Silence). She continues to be the flagbearer for her young sire Lord Kanaloa. The son of King Kamehameha is now the most expensive stallion on active duty in Japan, standing at €170,000 for 2020.

Intentions for the rest of the year as of yet have not been released by connections. However, the obvious next step would be the Yasuda Kinen in early June. A luckless run in the 2019 edition saw Almond Eye beaten for the first time in Group 1 company.

Autumn campaign

Plans for her autumn campaign will likely remain fluid for the foreseeable future with international travel restrictions currently limiting the possibility of seeing the sweetheart of Japanese racing compete on foreign soil again before retiring at the end of the year.

That said, she has been shortened into as low as 8/1 second favourite behind Enable for the 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Recent Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) winner, Contrail, also takes prominent order in the betting at 16/1.