David Morgan

Lemaire the challenger wants the title back

The JRA’s champion jockey race is simmering along and could bubble into an epic duel between multiple champion Christophe Lemaire and the current ‘king’ Yuga Kawada.

David Morgan

Tokyo City Keiba: Shadai’s reach and talk of American adventures at Oí’s ‘Twinkle Night’

The NAR is Japan’s stock ‘midweek’ fare, but on the back of Mandarin Hero there is a sense down at Oí that the Tokyo City Keiba experience has relevance beyond its ‘local’ status.

Video

Asian Racing Review: Sodashi ridden ‘perfectly’ in Victoria Mile defeat

Michael Cox joins Andrew Le Jeune to bring you all the news and views in Asian racing, including the latest on the Hong Kong betting scandal and a response to some criticism surrounding Damian Lane's Victoria Mile ride.

Adrian Webber

Keiba Diary: Liberty Island next after the thrills of Sodashi week

Adrian Webber looks ahead to the Oaks at Tokyo on Sunday and beyond that the Derby and the Yasuda Kinen, after the excitement of last weekend’s Victoria Mile

Homan Ho

JRA Blackbook: big tracks, bigger future for Lebensstil

Some of the early form around Sol Oriens was franked as a son of Real Steel made a mess of his opposition at Tokyo, while a daughter of Arrogate belied her breeding to continue her new-found fondness for turf.

David Morgan

Songline steals Sodashi’s thunder

Sodashi held the crowd in awe from the moment she stepped into the Tokyo parade ring, but ultimately it was to be Songline’s day.

David Morgan

Red Mon Reve earns Ebina a notable first

The Yasuda Kinen is the next target as the former top jockey gets his Group race tally as a trainer up and running in only his second season.

Victoria Mile G1 Guide

The G1 Victoria Mile has been won by some of Japan's greatest ever fillies and mares, boasting names such as Vodka, Almond Eye and Gran Alegria on the honour roll.

David Morgan

New leading man: Damian Lane set to co-star in ‘box office’ Sodashi’s 2023 premier

Japan’s ‘White Wonder’ makes her five-year-old debut in Sunday's Victoria Mile at Tokyo and her trainer hopes for a new maturity that would take the iconic mare to a higher level under her new rider, the in-form Australian Damian Lane.

David Morgan

Champagne day for the little filly sold over lunch

Memorial Life’s second foal Champagne Color elevated her status to Group 1 producer at the weekend and gave a nod to the Chasemore Farm nursery that produced her, and to the Japanese approach that has uplifted her.

Adrian Webber

Keiba Diary: Joe Fujii keeps fighting

Adrian Webber caught up with Joe Fujii for this week’s Keiba Diary as the popular jockey continues to readjust to home life with his wife and children after suffering severe spinal injuries in a race fall last year.

Video

NHK Mile Cup: shock result as trainer snaps 72-race losing streak

It had been a long time between big race wins for trainer Tsuyoshi Tanaka but his colt Champagne Color had everything fall his way in a wet and wild Group 1 at Tokyo.

David Morgan

Uchida takes the NHK Mile Cup applause on a weekend for veterans

Frankie Dettori and Hiroyuki Uchida are both 52 and they both won a Group 1 at the weekend, but only one has the stated intention to continue riding indefinitely.