Sol Oriens (Jpn)

Runner-up to T O Royal (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) when tackling 3,200 metres in April's G1 Tenno Sho (Spring), Blow The Horn (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) made full use of his staying power as he ran out an impressive winner of Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Kyoto Racecourse, a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. With the victory, he defeated Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) by two lengths to gain the first Group 1 success of his career. Blow The Horn was dropping back fully 1,000...

Despite an ever-growing Japanese presence at the Dubai World Cup meeting in the UAE, Sunday's 2000-metre G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin still boasts five Group 1 winners, four of them Classic scorers and several other progressive types hunting for their first Group 1 ring. One of the top picks in the 16-strong field is last year's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner, Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), who ran second in both the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)--to Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn})--and the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese...

Recent G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize winner Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) has moved into a joint-third at 124 on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (WBRR). The Hong Kong galloper is equal to Japan's Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), who won the G1 Sheema Classic in Dubai, sits atop the list at 129, with fellow Hong Kong-based horse Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) second at 125. Other horses making the list following the latest ranking period are G1 All Aged S. hero Giga Kick (Aus) (Scissor...