Victoria Mile (Group 1)

TOKYO Racecourse is once again the venue for Sunday’s Group 1 Victoria Mile for mares and fillies. The winner also receives an automatic entry to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in November.

The 18-runner field is headed by Gran Alegria, a four-time Group 1 winner already, and having a record of five wins over a mile from her total of seven starts.

She was trying the distance of 10 furlongs for the first time in the Group 1 Osaka Hai in April when only fourth.

Christophe Lemaire will be in the saddle and he said this week: “She’s trained well, and her footwork is very good. I think she’s in top condition, and coming back to Tokyo will suit her. Anywhere between 1,200 metres and 1,600 metres she can show her great turn of foot.”

Resistencia was second in last year’s Group 1 NHK Mile Cup and is coming off a bold showing in her latest race when she finished second in the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen over 1,200 meters at Chukyo in March.

Danon Fantasy is another previous Group 1 winner, but looking to rebound from her worst ever placing last time when she finished 12th in the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen,

Terzetto, the mount of Mirco Demuro, a four-year-old by Deep Impact, impressed last time when winning the Group 3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy over a mile at Nakayama in April. It is a jump up in class, but her current form suggests she has a chance.

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi brought up his 600th career win recently, and Des Ailes, a four-year-old daughter of Deep Impact, gives him another live chance of picking up a big race win here.