Wagnerian triumphed in the Japanese Derby and the Kobe Shimbun Hai last year, but could not start that year again due to injury reasons. Also this year the son of Deep Impact run only three races so far. Most recently he gave a strong performance when finished well in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). Though he was not able to run in the leading group, he missed places only narrowly.
You Can Smile, like Wagnerian trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, demonstrated even more finishing speed in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) than his stablemate. Coming from the back of the field, he would have finished better than fourth, if the distance would have been further than 2,000 meters. The four-year-old son of King Kamehameha-Sohn is a real stayer, had ended third in last year's Kikuka Sho (3,000 m) and should benefit from the 2,400 meters in the Japan Cup.
Curren Bouquetd'Or is the only three-year-old horse in the 2019 Japan Cup. The daughter of Deep Impact came runner-up in the Japanese Oaks and the Shuka Sho, the third leg of the fillies' triple crown. She missed an Oaks triumph only by a neck, while Loves Only You improved the race record by 0.8 seconds. Seen from this angle Curren Bouquetd'Or would be on the same level as former Oaks winners Gentildonna and Almond Eye.
Cheval Grand won the 2017 Japan Cup and came fourth in the 2018 Japan Cup. This year the seven-year-old son of Heart's Cry was send around the world. Following a second place in the Dubai Sheema Classic, he travelled to England, where he had no chance in the King George and Juddmonte International Stakes. The Japan Cup will be his first start since he returned to Japan in August, there he will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon. Cheval Grand will retire to stud at the end of the year.
Suave Richard, also a son of Heart's Cry-Sohn, took part in the Dubai Sheema Classic too, finished third there, half a length behind his half brother. He had however beaten Cheval Grand in last year's Japan Cup, where he came third. Suave Richard run only twice in Japan this season, ended third in the Takarazuka Kinen and seventh in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) after a four-month-break. With that run under his belt, he could become a dangerous candidate in the Japan Cup.
Rey De Oro won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last year and got only narrowly beaten in the 2018 Arima Kinen. The 2017 Derby winner experiences a disappointing season so far. Neither in the Dubai Sheema Classic nor in the Takarazuka Kinen he made it under the first four, even finished only fourth as clear favourite in the Sankei Sho All Comers at the end of September. He was not even send to defend his title in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), instead connections hope, he will find back to form in the Japan Cup, a race he came runner-up back in 2017. Jockey will be William Buick.
Muito Obrigado triumphed in the Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500 m) on November 3, with Screen Hero and Cheval Grand two of this race winners had afterwards won the Japan Cup. It was the first group victory for Muito Obrigado, but he already won four times at Tokyo between 2,400 and 2,500 meters.
Look Twice won the Meguro Kinen (G2, 2,500 m) in May, it was his first success on group level. He confirmed his rising form when came runner-up in the Copa Republica Argentina one length behind Muito Obrigado. With Frankie Dettori probably the world's best jockey was engaged for the son of Stay Gold-Sohn.
Etario is another horse from the Yasuo Tomomichi stable. He missed last year's Derby victory by half a length behind Wagnerian and came runner-up also in the St Leger. This year he made it only once under the top three so far.
Makahiki is a fourth runner for Yasuo Tomomichi besides You Can Smile, Wagnerian and Etario, which gives him some tactical opportunities. The son of Deep Impact won the 2016 Japanese Derby but, like Rey De Oro, currently has not the form to be among the favourites in the 2019 Japan Cup.
Danburite runs in the colors of Sunday Racing, a stable that had owned great horses like Gentildonna or Orfevre. The son of Rulership won the Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200 m) earlier this year and came runner-up in the Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400), a traditional trial for the Japan Cup.
Watch the replay of the race without knowing the result at
Horse Racing Japan.
Press the video button in the Japan Cup row.
2019 Japan Cup
November 24, 2019 - 1 ½ miles (2,400 meters), Tokyo, Japan| Pl. | Dist. |
Age | Kg | Trainer | Jockey | Odds | |||
| 1. | Suave Richard | 5 | 57.0 | Y.Shono | O.Murphy | 5.1 | |||
| 2. | 3/4 | Curren Bouquetd'or | 3 | 53.0 | S.Kunieda | A.Tsumura | 10.5 | ||
| 3. | 1 1/2 | Wagnerian | 4 | 57.0 | Y.Tomomichi | Y.Kawada | 4.3 | ||
| 4. | 1 3/4 | Makahiki | 6 | 57.0 | Y.Tomomichi | Y.Take | 50.4 | ||
| 5. | N | You Can Smile | 4 | 57.0 | Y.Tomomichi | Y.Iwata | 6.2 | ||
| 6. | N | Daiwa Cagney | 5 | 57.0 | T.Kikuzawa | S.Ishibashi | 120.9 | ||
| 7. | 1 1/2 | Etario | 4 | 57.0 | Y.Tomomichi | N.Yokoyama | 23.8 | ||
| 8. | 1 1/4 | Muito Obrigado | 5 | 57.0 | K.Tsunoda | C.Lemaire | 15.4 | ||
| 9. | N | Cheval Grand | 7 | 57.0 | Y.Tomomichi | C.Soumillon | 20.0 | ||
| 10. | 1 1/2 | Look Twice | 6 | 57.0 | H.Fujiwara | L.Dettori | 15.4 | ||
| 11. | 5 | Rey de Oro | 5 | 57.0 | K.Fujisawa | W.Buick | 4.2 | ||
| 12. | 5 | Win Tenderness | 6 | 57.0 | H.Sugiyama | H.Tanabe | 244.4 | ||
| 13. | 1 1/2 | Jinambo | 4 | 57.0 | N.Hori | R.Moore | 34.3 | ||
| 14. | N | Danburite | 5 | 57.0 | H.Otonashi | F.Matsuwaka | 30.7 | ||
| 15. | 3 172 | Taisei Trail | 4 | 57.0 | Y.Yahagi | M.Demuro | 58.0 |
Preview: November 21, 2019
Japan's outstanding horse Almond Eye will not defend her Japan Cup title. Like the current Oaks winner Loves Only You she rather goes for glory in Hong Kong. And as not a single foreign horse made the trip to Tokyo and even the three Japanese Arc runners do not take part, the quality of the race seems quite low this year. However, all that makes the 2019 Japan Cup very exciting, it seems a wide open race.Wagnerian triumphed in the Japanese Derby and the Kobe Shimbun Hai last year, but could not start that year again due to injury reasons. Also this year the son of Deep Impact run only three races so far. Most recently he gave a strong performance when finished well in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). Though he was not able to run in the leading group, he missed places only narrowly.
You Can Smile, like Wagnerian trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, demonstrated even more finishing speed in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) than his stablemate. Coming from the back of the field, he would have finished better than fourth, if the distance would have been further than 2,000 meters. The four-year-old son of King Kamehameha-Sohn is a real stayer, had ended third in last year's Kikuka Sho (3,000 m) and should benefit from the 2,400 meters in the Japan Cup.
Curren Bouquetd'Or is the only three-year-old horse in the 2019 Japan Cup. The daughter of Deep Impact came runner-up in the Japanese Oaks and the Shuka Sho, the third leg of the fillies' triple crown. She missed an Oaks triumph only by a neck, while Loves Only You improved the race record by 0.8 seconds. Seen from this angle Curren Bouquetd'Or would be on the same level as former Oaks winners Gentildonna and Almond Eye.
Cheval Grand won the 2017 Japan Cup and came fourth in the 2018 Japan Cup. This year the seven-year-old son of Heart's Cry was send around the world. Following a second place in the Dubai Sheema Classic, he travelled to England, where he had no chance in the King George and Juddmonte International Stakes. The Japan Cup will be his first start since he returned to Japan in August, there he will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon. Cheval Grand will retire to stud at the end of the year.
Suave Richard, also a son of Heart's Cry-Sohn, took part in the Dubai Sheema Classic too, finished third there, half a length behind his half brother. He had however beaten Cheval Grand in last year's Japan Cup, where he came third. Suave Richard run only twice in Japan this season, ended third in the Takarazuka Kinen and seventh in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) after a four-month-break. With that run under his belt, he could become a dangerous candidate in the Japan Cup.
Rey De Oro won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last year and got only narrowly beaten in the 2018 Arima Kinen. The 2017 Derby winner experiences a disappointing season so far. Neither in the Dubai Sheema Classic nor in the Takarazuka Kinen he made it under the first four, even finished only fourth as clear favourite in the Sankei Sho All Comers at the end of September. He was not even send to defend his title in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), instead connections hope, he will find back to form in the Japan Cup, a race he came runner-up back in 2017. Jockey will be William Buick.
Muito Obrigado triumphed in the Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500 m) on November 3, with Screen Hero and Cheval Grand two of this race winners had afterwards won the Japan Cup. It was the first group victory for Muito Obrigado, but he already won four times at Tokyo between 2,400 and 2,500 meters.
Look Twice won the Meguro Kinen (G2, 2,500 m) in May, it was his first success on group level. He confirmed his rising form when came runner-up in the Copa Republica Argentina one length behind Muito Obrigado. With Frankie Dettori probably the world's best jockey was engaged for the son of Stay Gold-Sohn.
Etario is another horse from the Yasuo Tomomichi stable. He missed last year's Derby victory by half a length behind Wagnerian and came runner-up also in the St Leger. This year he made it only once under the top three so far.
Makahiki is a fourth runner for Yasuo Tomomichi besides You Can Smile, Wagnerian and Etario, which gives him some tactical opportunities. The son of Deep Impact won the 2016 Japanese Derby but, like Rey De Oro, currently has not the form to be among the favourites in the 2019 Japan Cup.
Danburite runs in the colors of Sunday Racing, a stable that had owned great horses like Gentildonna or Orfevre. The son of Rulership won the Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200 m) earlier this year and came runner-up in the Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400), a traditional trial for the Japan Cup.
Watch the replay of the race without knowing the result at
Horse Racing Japan.
Press the video button in the Japan Cup row.
