WITH just two Group 1 races run over a trip of less than a mile on the Japanese fixture list, any group race run over shorter distances are hotly contested by the fastest horses in Japan. A total of 13 runners lined for the Group 2 Centaur Stakes run over six furlongs at Hanshin Racecourse last weekend.

The Godolphin-owned Fine Needle won the two previous runnings. The colt would go on to become Godolphin’s first Group 1 winner in Japan before retiring to their stallion complex as a dual Group 1 winner.