THE last two weeks have produced two unbeaten Triple Crown champions in Japan, in Daring Tact for the fillies two weeks ago and Contrail last week.

Tomorrow, the Grade 1 Tenno Sho over 10 furlongs, has probably the best horse to race in Japan in recent years in the seven-time Group 1 winner Almond Eye who is bidding for a record number of top-level successes for a Japanese-trained horse.

A total of seven Group 1 winners make up the 12-runner field, including double Tenno Sho (Spring) winner Fierement and Chrono Genesis, who crushed the competition in the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen at the end of June.

In 2018, Almond Eye captured the fillies’ Triple Crown and then, that same year, triumphed in the Japan Cup, before flying off to Dubai to win the Group 1 Dubai Turf in the spring.

Last year, she won this race, finishing three lengths ahead of runner-up Danon Premium.

Her first start of 2020 was the Victoria Mile on May 17th, which she won with a blistering finish and she then returned to Tokyo on June 7th for the Yasuda Kinen.

A bit slowly away, she raced further back than usual and finished only second to Gran Alergia.

The going, slightly heavy, “was not to her liking,” according to trainer Sakae Kunieda, and this longer distance may also suit her better.

Christophe Lemaire, who has ridden her in all but one of the mare’s 13 career outings, is on board again..

The four-year-old filly Chrono Genesis looks the biggest danger. She was a six-length-winner of the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen, beating Kiseki, in June. She returns after four months off but has won off lay-offs before.

Kiseki was third here two years ago, then followed that up with a second to Almond Eye in the 2018 Japan Cup. After last year’s second in the Takarazuka Kinen, Kiseki travelled to France where he was down the field in the Arc.

Fierement is a dual winner of the Tenno Sho (Spring), but has not raced in six months.

Others to watch are Danon Premium, second to Almond Eye here last year, and Blast Onepiece, who won his first start this year, failed to fire in his next two, but may be ready to show something more characteristic this time out.