Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (Group 1)

WITH all the older stars leaving the scene, the attention moves to the juveniles for the next few weeks. Last week, third favourite Ascoli Piceno claimed this year’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, her third career win in as many starts.

Ascoli Piceno, a Daiwa Major filly owned by Sunday Racing, travelled two-wide and in mid-pack. Entering the straight, the filly switched out for clear running and duelled with Corazon Beat down the middle. After finally getting the better of the pacesetter half a furlong out, Ascoli Piceno shook off Corazon Beat and held off the late-charging Stellenbosch by a neck.

Two-year-old colts

After the fillies’ race last week, it is the turn of the two-year-old colts tomorrow, when the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes will be run over the same course and distance at Hanshin Racecourse again.

Some of the runners expected to take on the race are Danon McKinley, a colt by Maurice who won both of his starts in good style, the latest being at Kyoto in November over seven furlongs. Christophe Lemaire is expected to pick up the ride. Strauss is another son of Maurice with two wins from his three starts, which have included a third in the Grade 3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup over a mile at Tokyo in October, a race that usually ranks highly in a two-year-old’s career. This time Tom Marquand is set to ride the Ryo Takei-trained Strauss, and he will be looking forward to another Grade 1 ride in Japan, after the unfortunate withdrawal of Bond Girl from last week’s big race.

The booking of Yuga Kawada for the ride on Jantar Mantar, a colt by Palace Malice, says a lot about the horse that has yet to taste defeat, while Ecoro Walz is another unbeaten colt.

BEN Coen has made a successful start to winter life in Dubai, with nine winners for the season so far. The Group 1- winning rider is attached to the Michael Costa stable.

“I had a couple of rides here last season and I jumped at the opportunity when Michael rang me. He has a lot of very well-bred American horses and it’s nice to hit the ground running,” he told Dubai Turf.