Rey De Oro won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) as 21:10 favourite on October 28, but did not start in the Japan Cup afterwards, probably to avoid a clash with Almond Eye. The 2017 Japanese Derby winner will now be the horse to beat in the 2018 Arima Kinen. He should have no problems with the tighter turns at Nakayama, as he had won the Sankei Sho All Comers there in September. Rey De Oro's trainer Kazuo Fujisawa could win the Arima Kinen three times already, fresh Japan Cup winner Christophe Lemaire will be in the saddle.
Kiseki gave a strong performance in the 2018 Japan Cup recently. Leading the whole way, he was only beaten by Almond eye, but crossed the line well ahead of the rest. Last year's Japanese St Leger winner had already displayed rising form when ended third in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) a length behind Rey De Oro.
Cheval Grand beat Rey De Oro when won the 2017 Japan Cup, but finished only fourth in that race this year. The son of Heart's Cry, third in the 2017 Arima Kinen, will be ridden by the Australian jockey Hugh Bowman in Nakayama again, who had won the Japan Cup with him.
Blast Onepiece is one of only two three-year-olds in the field and according to the betting market he is has at least outsider chances. The son of Harbinger could win four of his six starts. He had been second favourite in this year's Japanese Derby, where he finished fifth in May. He then was even first favourite in the St Leger, but ended just fourth there in October. Blast Onepiece is trained by Masahiro Otake on the Nakayama racecourse.
Mikki Rocket won only one of his 15 starts until he triumphed in the Takarazuka Kinen in June, where he beat multiple Group 1-winner Werther. He finished fifth in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), but came from a four month lay-off then.
Perform A Promise, a six-year-old son of Stay Gold, attracted attention by winning the Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500 m) on November 4. The horses he beat there were not the very strongest, still several 'Republica' winners have been successful in the Arima Kinen subsequently.
Satono Diamond, winner of the 2016 Arima Kinen, will also be involved at Nakayama. He could win an important race with the Kyoto Daishoten on October 8, but he never really reached his strong 2016 form again, at least came sixth in the Japan Cup. He will also be ridden by an Australian jockey, Brenton Avdulla. The Arima Kinen will be the last run in Satono Diamond's career.
Makahiki is one of the better known Japanese race horses abroad. He won the 2016 Japanese Derby ahead of Satono Diamond and took unsuccessfully part in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The son of Deep Impact has not shown much the last two years, finished seventh in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) most recently.
Oju Chosan is a very special participant at the 2018 Arima Kinen. The seven-year-old celebrated five Group One victories in hurdle and steeplechase races, also won twice on the flat lately. In the Arima Kinen vote open to racing fans Oju Chosan ended third with 100,382 votes, right behind Rey De Oro (110,293) and Almond Eye (105,561).
The Arima Kinen is the horse race with the world's highest betting turnover, even far ahead of the Grand National. Ten of the sixteen participating horses are selected by a public vote. It is the most popular horse race in Japan. 165,000 spectators will arrive the Nakayama racetrack also in 2018 again.
To watch a replay of the Arima Kinen, without knowing the result, enter
Horse Racing Japan
and click on the video button in the Arima Kinen row.
2018 Arima Kinen
December 23, 2018 - 1m 4½f (2,500 meters), Nakayama, Japan| Pl. | Dist. | Alter | Kg | Trainer | Jockey | Odds | |||
| 1. | Blast Onepiece | 3 | 55,0 | M. Otake | K. Ikezoe | 8,9 | |||
| 2. | Nk | Rey De Oro | 4 | 57,0 | K.Fujisawa | C. Lemaire | 2,2 | ||
| 3. | 1 1/4 | Cheval Grand | 6 | 57,0 | Y. Tomomichi | H. Bowman | 22,7 | ||
| 4. | 1 1/2 | Mikki Rocket | 5 | 57,0 | H. Otonashi | O. Murphy | 22,5 | ||
| 5. | 3/4 | Kiseki | 4 | 57,0 | K. Nakatake | Y. Kawada | 5,9 | ||
| 6. | Nk | Satono Diamond | 5 | 57,0 | Y. Ikee | B. Avdulla | 18,1 | ||
| 7. | Nk | Sakura Empereur | 7 | 57,0 | T. Kanari | H. Tanabe | 147,0 | ||
| 8. | 3/4 | Mozu Katchan | 4 | 55,0 | I. Sameshima | M. Demuro | 9,1 | ||
| 9. | Hd |
Oju Chosan | 7 | 57,0 | S. Wada | Y. Take | 9,2 | ||
| 10. | Hd | Makahiki | 5 | 57,0 | Y. Tomomichi | Y. Iwata | 42,5 | ||
| 11. | 1/2 | Mikki Swallow | 4 | 57,0 | T. Kikuzawa | N. Yokoyama | 28,8 | ||
| 12. | 2 | Ridge Man | 5 | 57,0 | Y. Shono | M. Ebina | 117,2 | ||
| 13. | Nk | Smart Layer | 8 | 57,0 | R. Okubo | K. Tosaki | 196,6 | ||
| 14. | 1 1/4 | Perform A Promise | 6 | 57,0 | H. Fujiwara | C. Demuro | 20,6 | ||
| 15. | 1/2 | Clincher | 4 | 57,0 | H. Miyamoto | Y. Fukunaga | 32,2 | ||
| 16. | 4 | Sounds Of Earth | 7 | 57,0 | K. Fujioka | Y. Fujioka | 144,2 |
Preview: December 21, 2018
New Japanese superstar Almond Eye will not take part in the 2018 Arima Kinen (7:25 CET), still the horse race with the world's highest betting turnover will present a strong field, as several of the best Japanese thoroughbreds skipped the Japan Cup for the Arima Kinen. Favourite is the recent Tenno Sho winner Rey De Oro. Japan Cup runner-up Kiseki and Cheval Grand will probably turn out to be his most dangerous rivals. Also steeplechase champion Oju Chosan is set for the Arima Kinen.Rey De Oro won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) as 21:10 favourite on October 28, but did not start in the Japan Cup afterwards, probably to avoid a clash with Almond Eye. The 2017 Japanese Derby winner will now be the horse to beat in the 2018 Arima Kinen. He should have no problems with the tighter turns at Nakayama, as he had won the Sankei Sho All Comers there in September. Rey De Oro's trainer Kazuo Fujisawa could win the Arima Kinen three times already, fresh Japan Cup winner Christophe Lemaire will be in the saddle.
Kiseki gave a strong performance in the 2018 Japan Cup recently. Leading the whole way, he was only beaten by Almond eye, but crossed the line well ahead of the rest. Last year's Japanese St Leger winner had already displayed rising form when ended third in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) a length behind Rey De Oro.
Cheval Grand beat Rey De Oro when won the 2017 Japan Cup, but finished only fourth in that race this year. The son of Heart's Cry, third in the 2017 Arima Kinen, will be ridden by the Australian jockey Hugh Bowman in Nakayama again, who had won the Japan Cup with him.
Blast Onepiece is one of only two three-year-olds in the field and according to the betting market he is has at least outsider chances. The son of Harbinger could win four of his six starts. He had been second favourite in this year's Japanese Derby, where he finished fifth in May. He then was even first favourite in the St Leger, but ended just fourth there in October. Blast Onepiece is trained by Masahiro Otake on the Nakayama racecourse.
Mikki Rocket won only one of his 15 starts until he triumphed in the Takarazuka Kinen in June, where he beat multiple Group 1-winner Werther. He finished fifth in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), but came from a four month lay-off then.
Perform A Promise, a six-year-old son of Stay Gold, attracted attention by winning the Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500 m) on November 4. The horses he beat there were not the very strongest, still several 'Republica' winners have been successful in the Arima Kinen subsequently.
Satono Diamond, winner of the 2016 Arima Kinen, will also be involved at Nakayama. He could win an important race with the Kyoto Daishoten on October 8, but he never really reached his strong 2016 form again, at least came sixth in the Japan Cup. He will also be ridden by an Australian jockey, Brenton Avdulla. The Arima Kinen will be the last run in Satono Diamond's career.
Makahiki is one of the better known Japanese race horses abroad. He won the 2016 Japanese Derby ahead of Satono Diamond and took unsuccessfully part in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The son of Deep Impact has not shown much the last two years, finished seventh in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) most recently.
Oju Chosan is a very special participant at the 2018 Arima Kinen. The seven-year-old celebrated five Group One victories in hurdle and steeplechase races, also won twice on the flat lately. In the Arima Kinen vote open to racing fans Oju Chosan ended third with 100,382 votes, right behind Rey De Oro (110,293) and Almond Eye (105,561).
The Arima Kinen is the horse race with the world's highest betting turnover, even far ahead of the Grand National. Ten of the sixteen participating horses are selected by a public vote. It is the most popular horse race in Japan. 165,000 spectators will arrive the Nakayama racetrack also in 2018 again.
To watch a replay of the Arima Kinen, without knowing the result, enter
Horse Racing Japan
and click on the video button in the Arima Kinen row.
