Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (Group 1)

TASTIERA provided a minor upset in the 90th running of the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) last Sunday.

The 2000 Guineas runner-up triumphed by a neck in a hectic finish. Sol Oriens and Hearts Concerto finished second and third respectively. The first four finishers were separated by less than half a length.

Run at nothing more than a canter for the first six furlongs, Damian Lane made the race winning move as the field sauntered towards the end of the back straight. The Australian-born jockey eased Tastiera to the lead approaching the final three furlongs.

Under Lane’s unmistakable power-packed finishing drive, Tastiera fought off an almost endless procession of challengers to tenaciously hold onto the lead and claim the second leg of the colts’ Triple Crown.

Satsuki Sho winner and odds-on favourite, Sol Oriens, made a late bid to run down Tastiera but was given too much to do in the final furlong.

Tastiera is from the first crop of Satono Crown (Marju). He is the first foal out of three-time JRA winner Partitura (Manhattan Café). She raced in the same colour silks for Carrot Farm Co., Ltd.

Derby celebrations from a usually exuberant grandstand were subdued as many spectators will remember the 2023 Derby for dramatics and post-race disaster. Group 1 winner, Dura Erede, stumbled as he jumped from the stalls, sending rider Ryusei Sakai, hurtling to the turf.

Combination

Prior to the race, it was expected that the most likely winner would come from the combination of Sol Oriens and Skilfing. They were sent off as the first and second favourite.

Skilfing raced in midfield before making eye-catching progress to loom large on the outside of runners circling the final bend. However, as the race to the line began in earnest, Christophe Lemaire abruptly and significantly eased Skilfing, he was pulled up to a stop just after the winning post. Lemaire quickly dismounted and moments later Skilfing collapsed as gasps and cries echoed from the packed stands.

Shortly afterwards, the JRA announced that Skilfing had suffered acute heart failure and had died on the track.