By Heather Anderson
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, he had more to give and inched up to Inti, passed that foe in deep stretch and burst away to win. Inti was relegated to third late by Gold Dream (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}), who was 2 1/2 lengths behind Chuwa Wizard. A neck separated second and third, with last year's winner and heavy favourite Chrysoberyl (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) only fourth another three-quarters of a length behind after stalking in third for much of the trip.
“The horse was in very good condition and felt really good,” said pilot Keita Tosaki. “With Chrysoberyl traveling in front, I was able to feel his response while marking the race favorite. As it takes time for him to accelerate, I urged him to go early and the horse responded with great strength.”
A winner at first asking in February of 2018, by the end of that season he signed off with a victory in the Listed Nagoya Grand Prix over 2500 metres that December from eight starts as a 3-year-old. At four in six starts, Chuwa Wizard took the Listed Diolite Kinen and G3 Heian S. in consecutive starts and was back in the winner's circle two starts later in the Listed JBC Classic. He ran fourth in the 2019 edition of this race to Chrysoberyl to end his season on Dec. 1. The Listed Kawasaki Kinen went his way on Jan. 29, and he rolled a pair of threes going 2000 metres, both to Chrysoberyl, in the June 24 Listed Teio Sho in the slop and last out in the Nov. 3 Listed JBC Classic on Nov. 3. His next start is likely to be the $20-million 1800-metre Saudi Cup in February
Pedigree Notes
The 12th Group 1 winner and one of 80 black-type winners for his late sire, Chuwa Wizard is one of two winners from four to run out of the four-time winner Chuwa Blossom. A half-sister to SW Iron Tailor (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) and to the dam of Japanese Champion Dirt Horse and G1 Champions Cup hero Le Vent Se Level (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S.), she has a yearling colt by Maurice (Jpn) and a Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) weanling.
Sunday, Chukyo, Japan
CHAMPIONS CUP-G1, ¥194,800,000 (US$1,869,840/£1,391,206/€1,542,494), Chukyo, 12-6, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:49.30, gd.
1–CHUWA WIZARD (JPN), 126, h, 5, King Kamehameha (Jpn)
1st Dam: Chuwa Blossom (Jpn), by Durandal (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Autumn Breeze (Jpn), by Timber Country
3rd Dam: September Song (Jpn), by Real Shadai
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Shinobu Nakanishi; B-Northern Farm
(Jpn); T-Ryuji Okubo; J-Keita Tosaki. ¥103,360,000. Lifetime
Record: 18-10-3-4. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Gold Dream (Jpn), 126, h, 7, Gold Allure (Jpn)–Mon Vert
(Jpn), by French Deputy. O-Katsumi Yoshida; B-Northern Farm
(Jpn); ¥40,960,000.
3–Inti (Jpn), 126, h, 6, Came Home–Kitty (Jpn), by Northern
Afleet. O-Shigeo Takeda; B-Kiyoshige Yamashita (Jpn);
¥25,480,000.
Margins: 2HF, NK, 3/4. Odds: 12.30, 8.90, 56.50.
Also Ran: Chrysoberyl (Jpn), Mozu Ascot, Cafe Pharoah, Air Spinel (Jpn), Time Flyer (Jpn), Arctos (Jpn), Air Almas, Clincher (Jpn), Sunrise Nova (Jpn), Another Truth (Jpn), Satono Titan (Jpn), Meisho Wazashi (Jpn), Yoshio (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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