Company wins the Mile Championship (G1)

8yo Company was sent out as a clear favorite by the Japanese fans for today's Grade 1 race, the Mile Championship, and he didn't disappoint - with a convincing victory in what was his final race before heading to stud.

Jockey Norihiro Yokoyama had won the race twice in the past, and he settled the favorite perfectly midfield on the rails in the early stages of the race. Meiner Falke went straight to the lead after the gates opened, with Captain Thule not far behind him. Christophe Soumillon had Hikaru Ozora just behind the two leaders, while Alan Munro and Olivier Peslier had their respective mounts - Eva's Request and Sahpresa handily placed through the first half of the race.

When the leaders quickened approaching the final turn, the two international challengers started to come into the race, but it was clear the leaders were still travelling well. For a short moment, racegoers could have been forgiven for thinking that we were going to see a similar result to last week's Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup when the leaders stole the race, but that was just a fleeting thought, as Yokoyama pushed Company into the clear on the inside part of the track and started to charge.

In the closing stages of the race, Meiner Falke battled on well while Captain Thule ran waywardly - shifting to the middle of the track. Company drove through the gap, while Peslier was slowly but surely closing the gap on Sahpresa. In the final 100m, Company drew level to Meiner Falke before pulling away for a convincing win. Meiner Falke held on for 2nd, with the French filly Sahpresa narrowly grabbed 3rd place ahead of the tiring Captain Thule.

Absolute and Smile Jack made good ground from the back of the field to finish 5th and 6th, while Eva's Request tired a little in the straight to be 10th at the finish post.

But the day belonged to Company. He had become the older ever to win a Japanese Grade 1 race on the flat, and today he rewrote that record. This was his final race, and now he will go to stud.

Company, by Miracle Admire (out of the Northern Taste mare Brilliant Very), is 12 (two G1)-for-35 for his career with earning of more than 939 million yen. He is trained by Hidetaka Otonashi, and is owned and bred by Hideko Kondo.