G1 Champions Cup

Race favourite Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) ran out a determined winner of Sunday's G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse to become the first horse to defend the title for over a decade. It was the perfect way to bow out for Lemon Drop, who now retires to Darley Japan as the winner of 13 of his 18 career starts, with his other notable victories including the G1 February Stakes in 2023 when he was crowned the JRA Best Dirt Horse. The 16-strong field also included the latest winner of...

Last year's JRA Best Dirt Horse Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) will attempt to go out a winner in his final start when defending his title in the 1800-metre G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo on Sunday. The 6-year-old entire and 2023 G1 February Cup hero has finished first or second in all 17 starts barring a 10th-place run in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March of 2023 and when 12th in the G1 Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia this February. Since the Saudi Cup, he returned to Japan and...

In a dramatic finish to Sunday's G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo, Jun Light Bolt (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) collared G2 UAE Derby hero Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach The Crown {Jpn}) by a neck just before the wire. Sent off at 6-1 in this 1800-metre contest, the 5-year-old entire settled one off the rail in midpack as Red Soldado (Jpn) (Majestic Warrior) dashed to the front. That rival, setting an uncontested pace, got away with middling fractions on the backstretch, with the first 1000 metres covered in 1:02.40. As a result,...

Favoured to become the first Group 1 winner for his sire in the G1 Champions Cup, T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) followed the money and crossed the wire six lengths to the good of 2020 winner and Japanese Champion Dirt Horse Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) at Chukyo on Sunday. Priced at 2-1, the 4-year-old colt rated kindly in sixth as Group 1-winning white mare Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}), making her dirt bow, opened up to lead past the winning post and into the first turn. Positions were...

Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) posted a mild upset as the 12-1 fourth choice in the G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo on Sunday. The 1800-metre race was the second group win for the 5-year-old entire. The Northern Farm-bred sat in between horses in midpack while Air Almas (Majestic Warrior) and Inti (Jpn) (Came Home) duked it out on the front end. The first 1000 metres was covered in 1:00.30. Gradually improving three deep on the bend, Chuwa Wizard was within striking distance in fifth at the quarter pole. However,...