THE Yasuda Kinen marks the end of a five-week bonanza of Group 1 racing at the headquarters of JRA racing, Tokyo Racecourse.

Japanese Group 1 racing eases down for the abrasively hot summer months, and ‘keiba’ (racing) action migrates to the cooler climate of Japan’s northern most island of Hokkaido. The Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen scheduled for June 25th, is the final Group 1 event before top-tier racing enters its summer hiatus.

Eighteen runners will go to post for what is poised to be the most hotly contested renewal of the €1.2m 1,600m Yasuda Kinen in recent history. Ten individual Grade 1 winners will battle for the title on Sunday at a scheduled post time of 7:40am (Irish time).

It is impossible to preview this year’s renewal and not begin with fan favourite and likely race favourite, Sodashi.

The snow-white daughter of Kurofune will be aiming to go one better than her gallant performance when narrowly beaten in the Group 1 Victoria Mile in May. With the benefit of a two-kilogramme sex allowance and Yuga Kawada riding for the first time, Sodashi is the horse to beat.

Equine celebrity

Sodashi’s appearance and ability on the track have cemented her position as an equine celebrity, and the face of racing in the JRA. As always, legions of her supporters clad in various items of Sodashi apparel will descend on Tokyo Racecourse in their masses.

2022 Yasuda Kinen victor and recent Group 1 Victoria Mile winner, Songline will be attempting to confirm placings with Sodashi and claim her third Group 1 contest. Keita Tosaki will be partnering the lightly raced five-year-old. Four of her six career wins have been on Tokyo’s 1,600m course. Schnell Meister was runner-up in the Yasuda Kinen in 2022. The German-bred son of Kingman had struggled to replicate his Group 1 form in four subsequent runs.

However, the 2021 Group 1 NHK Mile winner made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure in the Group 2 Yomiuri Milers Cup on his latest start.

The pace of the race is sure to be dictated by Yutaka Take aboard consistent frontrunner Jack d’Or. The Group 1 Osaka Hai winner will be dropping down in distance for the first time in his career. The flashy son of champion miler, Maurice, has campaigned strictly over 2,000m in all his 14 career starts.

Serifos, Champagne Color, Gaia Force, and Namur are just a few of the other entrants that are likely to feature prominently in the finish.