Yasuda Kinen (Group 1)

DANON Kingly ruined the defending champion Gran Alegria’s hopes of a consecutive Yasuda Kinen title in a close finish to notch his first Group 1 victory in the mile contest.

It was not that the success wasn’t deserved as the son of Deep Impact had finished third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and a second in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in 2019.

Although a winner at Group 2 level, the colt was given a long break after running a disappointing 12th in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last November.

From stall 11, five-year-old Danon Kingly travelled in mid-pack a couple of lengths in front of the favourite while Daiwa Cagney made the running.

Still near the rear at the final bend, he came up the centre of the track and unleashed a determined stretch run to get on terms with Indy Champ and Schnell Meister.

Christophe Lemaire had favourite Gran Alegria fourth from the rear and she found herself trapped behind a wall of horses in the straight.

She finally weaved through horses with the fastest stretch run in the last half furlong but her flying finish was just too late.

Narrrowly

While Indy Champ and Schnell Meister weakened after a brief rally, in the final strides Danon Kingly narrowly held off the strong challenge from the defending champion by a head.

“He felt a bit tense first entering the track but he had good rhythm during the trip and had plenty of horse left. He responded just as I hoped turning the last corner and ran well after that.

“Although he hasn’t been able to put in the best results in the past, he has definitely demonstrated his true strength today and I’m happy to have been a part of it in my first time in the saddle,” his rider Yuga Kawada reported afterwards of the winner who was only the eighth choice in the betting.

Kawada has also won the race with Maurice (2015) and Satono Aladdin (2017).

Three-year-old Schnell Meister, the Kingman-sire, German-bred winner of the Group 1 NHK Mile, took a wide trip down the back stretch sitting outside 2019 Yasuda Kinen champion Indy Champ while making headway.

With the eventual winner on his outside and runner-up behind him, the colt ran strongly to reach the front 100 metres out, and when joined made a brief rally, but he lacked the final kick and was a half a length behind Gran Alegria in third, with Indy Champ fourth.

Both the first and second are by Deep Impact, with the winner out of the Storm Cat mare My Goodness.

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