MILE CHAMPIONSHIP

(GRADE 1)

IN present day racing both domestic and international, attention is more focused on speed rather than stamina. However, not so in Japan.

Indeed, the Group 1 Mile Championship, first run in 1984, was one of the few attempts to shadow the global trend in what was and still is a very much long-distance orientated racing industry in the land of the rising sun.

Previous notable winners of the mile contest included 2015 winner, Maurice, and three back-to-back winners, Taiki Shuttle (1997/1998), Durandal (2003/2004) and Daiwa Major (2006/2007).

A full field of 18 runners took to Kyoto Racecourse for the 200,000,000 yen (€1,670,000) showpiece. Drawn out wide in stall 16, 5/1 third in the betting Mikki Isle broke sharply and within the first 300 metres made his way across to the rail to negate the draw bias.

However, despite going a good gallop, he was forced to vie for the lead throughout with Noerealism under Ryan Moore.

TENACIOUS

Despite being headed temporarily at the two furlong marker, Mikki Isle stayed on tenaciously albeit waywardly in the last furlong. He held on to win by a head from the fast-finishing, Christophe Lemaire-ridden, Isla Bonita. Neorealism finished in third a further three-parts of a length behind.

A stewards’ enquiry was immediately called once the race had finished.

Ridden by Suguru Hamanaka, Mikki Isle had the benefit of the running rail in the home straight but edged significantly left under a right handed drive in the closing stages resulting in Neorealism being pushed towards the centre of the track and causing a knock-on effect of interference to several of the runners holding prominent positions.

The enquiry resulted in a 23-day ban for Hamanaka but very fortunately for other connections, the stewards did not see it fit to amend the final standings.

SAVING GRACE

The one saving grace for the 28-year-old rider was the eventual second placed horse, Isla Bonita, managed to remain mostly unaffected by the carnage on his inside as he challenged widest of all.

Worst affected by the interference were Danon Shark and Decipher who finished fourth and 10th respectively.

Mikki Isle, a son of Deep Impact, first tasted Group 1 success in 2014 when winning the NHK Mile Championship. In the interim, the Hidetaka Otonashi trained five-year-old had posted creditable efforts over the shorter distance of six furlongs with placed efforts in both the Sprinter Stakes and Takamatsunomiya Kinen.

Incredibly, Mikki Isle is now the first son of perennial leading Japanese sire, Deep Impact, to become a two-time domestic Group 1 winner.