Tenno Sho Autumn (Group 1)

DANON Decile returned to Group 1 success last weekend, with a devastating charge down the centre of the Tokyo track to land the Tenno Sho Autumn.

The five-year-old’s victory under Keita Tosaki came back to the form that had won them the 2025 Dubai Sheema Classic, beating Calandagan.

He had also finished fifth of the six in the Juddmonte International Stakes to Ombudsman at York, before back home, he was third to Calandagan in the Japan Cup last November. Towards the rear of the 17-runner field, Danon Decile, the 2024 Japanese Derby winner, only had one horse behind him turning into the straight at Tokyo, but hit the front out wide passing the furlong pole, and ran on strongly to defeat Nebra Disk, with favourite Croix Du Nord finishing fifth.

“It was wonderful that we could show his true strength,” Tosaki said of the son of Epiphaneia.

“I was surprised when I saw the draw [stall 17], but since his greatest asset is his incredible turn of foot in the closing stages, I decided not to commit to a specific position and instead focused on a good rhythm.

“The race was run at a solid pace, and I felt such a good response in the straight that I made him sprint a little bit early and hit the front sooner than intended.”

On his first start since the King George at Ascot, the other main contender Masquerade Ball stumbled leaving the stalls and could never get competitive under Christophe Lemaire, finishing 11th.