Gamble Room (R5 Hanshin, 2YO Newcomer, 1800m, 25 June)

A Hanshin Newcomer market dominated by American Pharoah colt Danon Switch saw the Ryuji Okubo-trained Gamble Room pegged as more of a place chance, but the Sunday Racing owned two-year-old colt made a serious lie of his 9.0 price as he proceeded to destroy his opposition by a widening five lengths.

A son of 2013 G1 Tokyo Yushun winner Kizuna – currently best represented by his multiple Group 1-winning daughter Songline – Gamble Room is out of Chandelier House, herself a half-sister to the 2006 G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Orewa Matteruze.

Despite jumping smartly for jockey Kohei Matsumaya in the 1800 metre contest, Gamble Room lacked the necessary speed to benefit from his sharp getaway, eventually drifting back to the tail of the field on the inside. That ultimately proved to the advantage of the well put together colt – who weighed in at 492kg – Matsumaya staying hard up against the rail as the pair sizzled home in 33.7s for the final three furlongs. 

“He jumped well but he doesn’t have much early speed, that’s why we were unable to lead,” said Matsumaya.

“He showed his turn of foot in the straight and I think he showed his strength in this debut race.”  

Given the authoritative nature of Sunday’s victory Gamble Room should prove a horse to follow in the autumn.

Brede Weg (R7 Tokyo, Class 1 Win, 2000m, 25 June)

Lord Kanaloa filly Brede Weg has endured something of a stop-start career to date but the three-year-old was back with a bang on Sunday. 

Second on debut last August before returning from an injury problem to easily break her maiden in February, trainer Keisuke Miyata opted to skip spring targets with Brede Weg, instead targeting a 2000 metre assignment on the Tokyo turf. 

 

Sent out a dominant 1.4 favourite – again in the famous Sunday Racing colours – Brede Weg raced in midfield for jockey Keita Tosaki before streaking clear in the straight to win by three-and-a-half lengths, finishing off her race in 33.6s. 

Out of Deep Impact mare Inner Urge – the full sister to star staying filly and 2015 G1 Yushun Himba winner Mikki Queen – Brede Weg looks to have both the ability and the pedigree to challenge in some of the more lucrative middle-distance races in the summer and autumn. 

 

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