KIKUKA SHO (GROUP 1)

GROUP 1 racing returned once again to Kyoto Racecourse, this time for the final colts’ classic of 2018, the 79th running of the 15 furlong Kikuka Sho.

A full-field of 18 contenders went to post for the €2,000,000 event. With an even break from the stalls, it was 2000 Guineas placed Generale Uno who assumed his usual front-running tactics, slowing the field to a farcical gallop in the early stages. Despite the pace quickening as the pack neared the end of the back straight, a bunched field turned into the home stretch five abreast.

Mirco Demuro aboard Etario took the initiative and sent his mount to the front as they turned into the straight. However, it was Fierement and Christophe Lemaire who emerged from between horses to lay challenge to an idling Etario.

HEAD TO HEAD

Locked in a head to head battle one furlong out, the pair hit the winning line seemingly inseparable to the 55,000 spectators in the grandstand. Fierement was announced the winner by the narrowest of margins after enduring a few minutes’ wait.

You Can Smile and Japanese veteran Yutaka Take finished a further length and a half behind in third. The lightly-raced race favourite, Blast Onepiece, travelled in mid-division before being switched to the outside. From a near impossible position off of a slow pace, the son of Harbinger ran on well to finish fourth.

It was a fourth JRA Group 1 title for trainer Takahisa Tezuka, his first since Asia Express in 2013. For Christophe Lemaire it continued a stellar 2018 season and was his 19th career JRA Group 1 crown.

Fierement, a three-year-old son of Deep Impact was unraced in his juvenile year. He was unbeaten in his first two starts on the racetrack before coming second in a Group 3 in July. He is out of the Group 1-winning French-bred mare Lune d’Or (Green Tune), a €750,000 purchase by Katsumi Yoshida at Arqana in 2010.

The frustration for Etario’s connections continues as he has had to be content with the runners-up spot in six of his last seven starts. However, connections have been well compensated as he is yet to finish outside of the top four in all of his nine career runs, amassing over €1,100,000 in earnings.

A winner of one race, the son of Stay Gold has not graced the winner’s enclosure since October of 2017 when winning his maiden.