J Palms (R6 Tokyo, Newcomer, 2000m, November 7)

Master trainer Noriyuki Hori appears to have a classic contender on his hands after J Palms trounced his newcomer rivals at Tokyo.

By first-season sire Just A Way and a half brother to 2021 Hopeful Stakes winner Killer Ability, J Palms was sent out 1.4 favourite and didn’t put a foot wrong in what could have been a trickly race.

J Palms showed handy gate speed to go forward for jockey Christophe Lemaire but then came back under the rider to sit outside the lead.

It only took a couple of reminders with the stick from Lemaire for Killer Ability to kick away but the jockey said the two-year-old is still ‘like a child’ but ‘his outlook is beautiful’.

“His acceleration is good and I think 2000m is a suitable distance,” Lemaire said.

Epiphany (R10 Tokyo, November Stakes, Class 3, 1800m, November 5)

Epiphany looks like a mile and middle-distance group race contender for next year after the three-year-old continued to storm through the grades with this feature win.

Silk Racing’s black colt didn’t win as a two-year-old but has returned this year to take four on the bounce for third year trainer Keisuke Miyata.

 

The market had North The World slight favourite ahead of Epiphany and the two slugged it out in front. Jockey Keita Tosaki appeared to have his hands full in the run, keeping Epiphany outside the leader but the three-year-old was too tough for his older rival up the testing Tokyo straight.

“I think he was travelling quite well and he could stay in a good position after jumping from the gate,” Tosaki said. “His response was nice and it was a good win.”

Preliminary challenge for Ireland’s Magical Lagoon in Japan