Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (Group 1)

THE fourth favourite Kamunyak produced a powerful closing finish to claim this year’s Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), the second jewel of the Triple Crown, and her first Group 1 victory.

A descendant of the 1995 Japanese Oaks winner Dance Partner, the Black Tide (a full-brother to Deep Impact) filly gave jockey Andrasch Starke, who has been riding under a short-term license since March, his first Group 1 win.

Kamunyak raced mid-division before making a wide sweeping move into the straight.

The daughter of Black Tide produced an impressive run from there, drawing even with Arma Veloce a furlong out and, with another gear, dug in well in the last strides for trainer Yasuo Tomomichi and owner Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co Ltd.

“The pace was not so fast in the last second half of the race and before the home-stretch, I moved to the outside where she responded very well. She’s an amazing horse - she just won four weeks ago (a Group 2).

“It was important that she was very relaxed today, she put in a sound performance and her ability was amazing. For me, it has been a dream to win a Group 1 race in Japan and I have no words, my dream came true,” commented to media Andrasch Starke after the race.

The Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) runner-up Arma Veloce launched her bid splitting horses before the furlong pole and briefly led, but the top two-year-old filly of last season was soon caught by the eventual winner and, despite rallying, went down by a head margin to take second place again.

After a good break, race favourite, the 1000 Guineas winner Embroidery, was eased back to settle between horses in seventh to eighth from the front, but after hitting the straight in good position, never fired, finishing a disappointing ninth.