Japan Cup (Group 1)

6.40am Sunday

THERE are four European runners in tomorrow’s Grade 1 Japan Cup. They face a stiff task with the strength of the home team and the stats are not in their favour as all the first three finishers over the last 10 years were Japanese-trained horses. Ouija Board was the last to place (third) in 2006.

The Japanese contingent includes last year’s Japanese Derby winner Shahyrar however there may not as many high quality runners compared to previous years, giving the travellers a better chance. Shahyrar is also drawn very wide in stall 15 of the 18 runners with Danon Beluga just one inside in 14.

Three of the four horses from Europe are three-year-olds. Three hail from France, one from Germany, and all but one have already pocketed a top-level race.

The mare Grand Glory put up a decent effort in fifth place under Cristian Demuro last year and, this year, has had two wins from five starts, including a graded-stakes victory, the best result coming at Ascot in the Group 1 Prince of Wales, when third ahead of fourth-place Shahryar. Grand Glory is coming off a fifth in the Prix de L’Arc Triomphe at Longchamp.

Challengers

Of the four challengers from overseas, the Irish-bred, French-trained Onesto is the highest profile. The Frankel colt, trained by Fabrice Chappet, is the top-rated with Germany’s Tunnes ahead of Japan’s best Danon Beluga and Shahyrar.

Onesto has raced in four Group 1s this year. After a fifth in the French Derby at Chantilly, Onesto captured the Grand Prix de Paris, which was run on heavy ground in Longchamp.

That was followed by a second in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and his most recent start in the Arc, where he posted a 10th over heavy ground. On better ground, with Christophe Lemaire on board from stall two, he must have a great chance.

The Irish-bred Simca Mille, by Tamayuz, hails from the Deauville-based stable of Stephane Wattel. The colt has yet to win at the top level, but only went down by a neck in the Grand Prix de Paris when second to Onesto. Simca Mille nabbed his first Grade 2 in the Prix Niel.

German raider Tunnes has swept his last five starts including his first Group 1 in the Grosser Preis von Bayern - early this month in Munich.

The four-year-old Shahyrar is a son of Deep Impact, and won the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) last year and will be carrying much of Japan’s hopes.

Third in last year’s Japan Cup, he won the Dubai Sheema Classic and was fourth in the Prince of Wales at Ascot. He returned to Japan for the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and finished fifth there behind Equinox.

Danon Beluga is a three-year-old son of Heart’s Cry and his last time out third in the Tenno Sho had Shahyrar back in fifth.

The 2020 Triple Tiara champion filly Daring Tact and that year (2020) finished third in the Japan Cup behind stars Almond Eye and Contrail. Last year’s Japan Cup brought a sixth-place finish but this year, heading in from an eight in the Tenno Sho and a sixth in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, she could still get involved here if finding a little improvement.

Uberleben, winner of the 2021 Japanese Oaks has turned in consistent results against high quality fields and was sixth in last year, just a neck behind fifth-place finisher Grand Glory.