Copa Republica Argentina (G2) - Preview

Cheval Gran

Albert

Fame Game

Hagino Hybrid

One and Only

Now that the dust has settled after a magnificent win by Maurice in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), there is a slight gear change and a pause for breath before the Japan Autumn International Series commences later this month. On Sunday, November 6, Tokyo Racecourse will host the Grade 2 Copa Republica Argentina, a stayers’ handicap for 3-year-olds and up. The race has thrown up a few big name winners in recent years, with just last year’s winner, Gold Actor, going on to win the end of year Grade 1 Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix). Fame Game won the race in 2014, before being campaigned in Australia the year after, and 2008 saw Screen Hero win before claiming the Japan Cup later that same year.

There have been 18 nominations for the 54th Copa Republica Argentina, and it looks like a case of some good younger horses taking on the older, more experienced stayers. The race is run over 2,500 meters and this year’s winner’s check is 57 million yen. Mousquetaire, who is nominated for this year’s race, holds the track record for the 2,500 meters at Tokyo, when he clocked a time of 2 minutes, 29.6 seconds back in 2013, easily beating Gold Actor’s time last year when the race was run on heavy ground. In the last 10 years, seven 4-year-olds have won, indicating a definite advantage for them, while just three first favorites have won during that period. Step races leading to the Copa Republica Argentina this year have included the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Spring) run over 3,200 meters in May, the Grade 2 Hanshin Daishoten over 3,000 meters in March, and most recently, the Grade 2 Sankei Sho All Comers over 2,200 meters in September, all races being run at different tracks.

Here’s a look at some of the runners expected to line up on Sunday:

Cheval Gran: Trained by this year’s Japanese Derby winning trainer, Yasuo Tomomichi, who looks to hold a strong hand in this week’s race, Cheval Gran finished third to Kitasan Black in the Tenno Sho (Spring), a strong indicator of the 4-year-old’s ability. He’s returning to the track this week, having finished ninth in his last race, his only other Grade 1, the Takarazuka Kinen over 2,200 meters back in June. He has won five times, and finished second and third three times apiece from a 14-race career so far.  The colt by Heart’s Cry will be having his first run at Tokyo, and is likely to be partnered by Yuichi Fukunaga, a jockey in top form.

Albert: The 5-year-old by Admire Don seems a real stamina horse, boasting a win in the Grade 2 Stayers Stakes over 3,600 meters at Nakayama in December 2015. He was bred at Northern Farm and is trained by Noriyuki Hori, who had Maurice in perfect order for last week’s big race. Albert has raced at Tokyo nine times in all, has three course wins, including one over 2,400 meters, and two thirds. He has raced in two Grade 1s, the latest in the Tenno Sho (Spring), where he finished well to gain sixth place, in what was his last start. He is reported to have been working well on the woodchip course, and in similar condition to when he took on the Tenno Sho (Spring). Keita Tosaki looks set to take the ride.

Volsheb: Owner Kazuhiro Sasaki has Volsheb nominated along with Cheval Gran, and is looking to pick up another big prize after winning the Shuka Sho with Vivlos. Volsheb has finished first or second in his last four starts, and the 5-year-old has five wins from 13 starts. The well bred horse by Neo Universe had his last race in August, when he won the Nihonkai Stakes over 2,200 meters at Niigata. It looks as if Mirco Demuro will get the ride on Sunday.

Fame Game: Winner of the race in 2014, the 6-year-old gelding has been a bit unpredictable of late. Just a glance at his prize money winnings of 280 million yen in JRA races alone would suggest he should be one of the favorites in this year’s field, but after coming back from the Melbourne Cup last November, he has had three runs this year so far, and is coming back after his summer break, before which he finished last in the Grade1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin in June. He has a good track record at Tokyo, and the Northern Farm bred horse just might be capable of getting things right again here.

Mondo Intero: One of only two 4-year-olds to be nominated, the Deep Impact colt looks to be the probable ride of jockey Christophe Lemaire. Mondo Intero is trained by Takahisa Tezuka and runs in the Silk Racing Co. Ltd. colors. The horse ran fifth in this year’s Grade 2 Meguro Kinen over course and distance at Tokyo, and won his latest race, the Sapporo Nikkei Open, over 2,600 meters in August. He’s six wins from 11 starts, and given the recent record of 4-year-olds in the race, he could be propelled to a big race win here.

Hagino Hybrid: The 5-year-old by Tanino Gimlet is coming off a good win in the Open class Ireland Trophy at Tokyo over 2,000 meters in October, when he was ridden by Norihiro Yokoyama for the first time. The two look set to combine again in the Copa Republica Argentina. Hagino Hybrid has two wins at Tokyo from five starts, and in his last five races, he’s finished in the first three four times, suggesting he’s really found form. He was bred at Shadai Farm and is trained by Kunihide Matsuda.

Recondite: A 6-year-old with plenty of experience, Recondite has five career wins from 27 starts and has raced in four Grade 2 races, where he’s had a best placed second in the 2015 Grade 2 Meguro Kinen over 2,500 meters at Tokyo. He’s by Heart’s Cry, and runs in the famous colors of Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd. He finished eighth in his last start, behind Hagino Hybrid in the Ireland Trophy.