Christophe Lemaire

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Tokyo and Kyoto Racecourses: Saturday, November 16, 2024 11th-TOK, Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S.-G2 ($461k), 2yo, 1800mT DEL AVAR (c, 2, Frankel {GB}--Amour Briller, by Smart Strike) was impressively off the mark at first asking going this distance at Fukushima...

Keeping in line with his family's long-standing history with the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), Urban Chic (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}) posted an emphatic result in the final leg of the Japanese Triple Crown on Sunday in Kyoto. Entering this race off claiming his first group title in the G2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen on September 16, a trial race for the Kikuka Sho, Urban Chic was one of three to come from that contest, the others being Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}) and Ecoro Walz (Jpn)...

Cervinia (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) produced a dominant performance to justify favouritism in Sunday's G1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto Racecourse, the final leg of the fillies' Triple Crown in Japan. She became the fifth winner of the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) to follow up in this race in the last decade, with the others including the same owner's Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) when she won all three legs of the fillies' Triple Crown last year. Trained by Tetsuya Kimura for Sunday Racing, Cervinia's hopes of emulating Liberty Island fell...

Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), in the eyes of most the two premier older dirt horses in Japan, are set to face each other for the fourth time in Wednesday's ¥68 million ($473,620) Listed Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Racecourse located about 20 miles east of Central Tokyo. Ushba Tesoro is the defending champion in the 1800-meter contest, having scored by a comfortable 1 1/2 lengths (video) before running on fairly to finish fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita...

Ecoro Sieg (Twirling Candy), a smashing five-length debut winner when unveiled over 1200 meters at Niigata Aug. 17, remained perfect in two starts with a 2 1/2-length success at Nakayama Saturday, stopping the clock in 1:07.2. The final time shaved 0.6 seconds off the 2-year-old track record and was 0.3 faster than the Japanese record time for a 2-year-old at the distance. Sent off the 2-5 favorite with Christophe Lemaire once again at the controls for Hideyuki Mori, the $95,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $250,000 OBS March breezer was not...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Saturday running at Nakayama Racecourse: Saturday, September 21, 2024 9th-NKY, ¥30,400,000 ($213k), Allowance, 2yo, 1200mT ECORO SIEG (c, 2, Twirling Candy--Lily Pod, by Bernstein), whose Grade III-placed dam is also responsible for SP She's Got a Way (Tonalist), cost $95,000 at last year's...

SAPPORO, Japan -- "Wherever you are, the important thing is that aftercare is recognised as a shared responsibility for owners, breeders, participants and the authorities." So said Michael Owen, the keynote speaker at the eighth annual conference of the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR). The words of the former England footballer underlined the message that has been at the forefront of IFAR since its inception in 2016 under the drive of the charitable wing of Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum's Godolphin operation. Its formation has brought about a...

The Coolmore partners' City Of Troy (Justify) will likely face a truly international field in the £1.2-million G1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Aug. 21. Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), a Japanese Classic winner, will travel to the Knavesmire to tangle with the Ballydoyle G1 Derby hero next month, York's CEO William Derby confirmed on Wednesday. "We're obviously delighted to hear the news from Ballydoyle that City Of Troy is likely to run in the Juddmonte International--obviously there's a long way to go with horses, but to have Europe's highest-rated...

6th-Tokyo, ¥14,880,000 ($95,336), Allowance, 5-18, 3yo, 1600m, 1:36.2, ft. ASSURBANIPAL (c, 3, Arrogate--Georgie's Angel {GSW, $129,564}, by Bellamy Road), the year-younger full-brother to Cave Rock, MGISW, $748,000, opened his account impressively at first asking over this course and distance last November and was just beaten by Authentic (Into Mischief)'s brother Bushin when last seen under these conditions at this venue Apr. 20. Sent off as the $1.10 (1-10) mortal, the dark bay was away fairly, and found himself in a forward position for the run down the back straight. Racing...

In a gutsy bounce back to form after only managing 13th place in the G1 Oka Sho, Cervinia (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) found redemption in the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) on Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse when she ran down said Japanese 1,000 Guineas winner Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}). Having made her debut in June of her juvenile season, Cervinia graduated from the maiden condition at second-asking in August 2023 and claimed her first Group victory two months later in the G3 Artemis S. Slated for the year-end championship-making G1 Hanshin...

After knocking on the door so many times--finishing second or third in four Group 1 events in his four most recent starts--Team Valor and Gary Barber's Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}--Jawlaat {Ire}, by Shamardal) got one of his own in an ultra-competitive renewal of the $5-million G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday. Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the Dubai Turf the last three years and seeking an historic four-peat, broke a bit awkwardly, but despite recovering quickly, finished off the board. The U.S. hope Catnip (Kitten's...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- In the form of Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), Japan is liable to field the favourites for the distance turf races at Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting and those two gallopers, as well as several of their compatriots, did fast work over the Meydan course Wednesday morning. Do Deuce would likely have been at the top of the markets for last year's G1 Dubai Turf, but was withdrawn in the days leading up to the race, helping pave...