Tomokazu Takano

Stunning Rose (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) rediscovered the winning touch with an impressive success in the hands of Cristian Demuro in Sunday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto Racecourse, her first win of any description since tasting Classic glory in the G1 Shuka Sho back in October 2022. The Tomokazu Takano trainee was one of two runners for owners Sunday Racing, with the other, Regaleira (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}), dominating the betting in her search for a second Group 1 victory after last year's Hopeful Stakes. She was the...

Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice), who was crowned Japan's champion two-year-old colt in 2023, resumed winning ways with a decisive defeat of the unlucky-in-running Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) in Saturday's G1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo Racecourse, his fourth win from six career starts. Unbeaten in three starts at two, culminating with a first top-level win in the Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin, Jantar Mantar had been forced to settle for minor honours on his first two starts as a three-year-old, including when finishing a close-up third...

Saturday's G2 Tulip Sho, a prep for the upcoming G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas next month, resulted in a dead heat between Nagoya Keiba's Meikei Yell (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) and Shadai Race Horse's Elizabeth Tower (GB) (Kingman {GB}), with the latter the first black-type winner in Japan for her sire. Very headstrong through the early stages against the fence, Meikei Yell raced just inside a tugging Elizabeth Tower. Yutaka Take gave the signal and Meikei Yell burst through the field to decisively take command with a half-mile remaining and entered...