Victoria Mile (Group 1)

THERE was a hugely exciting finish to the Japanese Group 1, the Victoria Mile, with at least three contenders looking like they could land the spoils in the last 100 yards.

In the final strides, favourite Ascoli Piceno claimed victory to register her fifth graded title following her win in the Group 2 Turf Sprint in February in Saudi Arabia.

The daughter of Daiwa Major, in the Sunday Racing Co colours, was unbeaten in her three starts as a two-year-old including the Group 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, which earned her the season’s best two-year-old filly title.

She had two runner-up efforts in Group 1s in the Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) and the NHK Mile Cup the following spring, and was 12th in the Golden Eagle in Rosehill in her first overseas endeavour to Australia last autumn.

Her victory in the Victoria Mile gave jockey Christophe Lemaire his 54th JRA-Group 1 title, he also won this with Admire Lead (2017), Almond Eye (2020) and Gran Alegria (2021).

Alice Verite led and was clear into the straight as Ascoli Piceno was eased back and well back in second from last before attempting to make headway through the last two corners and, caught behind traffic soon after entering the straight, Christophe Lemaire shifted his mount to the outside and the Daiwa Major filly responded with terrific speed to get up for a neck victory.

“The break wasn’t too sharp and it took some effort to get her into the speed - I did have a little concern to how the filly would perform as race favourite starting from an outside stall - but she did have plenty of energy left when needed, I was thrilled by how she showed her mental strength and potential in fighting to the very end,” Lemaire said to media.

Queen’s Walk under Yuga Kawada, also accelerated impressively to reach contention soon after the furlong pole and was the first to pin Alice Verite in a multiple-horse rally with just 50 metres to go before outrun by the winner from the outside in the last stride.

Shirankedo also came late and turned in a terrific finishing speed, the fastest in the last furlong, to gain third place.