Frankel's Mozu Ascot Back to Dirt in Valuable Kashiwa Kinen

Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}), winner on turf of the G1 Yasuda Kinen in 2018, returns to the dirt for the first time since winning the G1 February S. in Tuesday's ¥102 million (US$955k) Kashiwa Kinen (1600m) at Funabashi Racecourse.

Bred by Summer Wind Farm, the 6-year-old son of MGSW India (Hennessy) was winless in eight starts following the Yasuda Kinen, but put pay to that streak when defeating the smart Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) at odds of 8-1 in the G3 Negishi S. (1400m) at Tokyo Feb. 2. The chestnut, a $275,000 buyback at Keeneland September in 2015, validated 9-5 favoritism in the Feb. 23 February S. (see below, gate 12) and exits a 13th in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen over unsuitably easy ground at Chukyo Mar. 29. Christophe Lemaire has the call.

Mozu Ascot is the 8-5 second choice in ante-post wagering and is likely to have his hands full with the once-beaten Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S.) making his first start since annexing the G1 Champions Cup (1800m) in December 2018. That year's champion dirt horse in Japan, the bay–3-5 in the overnight markets–has won seven of his eight career trips to the post and has the services of Mirco Demuro, who has been aboard for each of his victories.

WATCH: Mozu Ascot becomes a dual-surface Group 1 winner in the February S.