PDF(187kb)

Oju Chosan Dominates both J-G1 Jump Titles by Claiming the Nayakayama Daishogai

This year’s Nakayama Grand Jump victor and race favorite Oju Chosan demonstrated a sound performance in capturing the only other JRA-G1 steeplechase event on the calendar, the Nakayama Daishogai by a remarkable nine lengths, extending his grade-race winning streak to four, and has most likely secured his JRA Best Steeplechase Horse of 2016 title. The Stay Gold horse has become the second to win both JRA-G1 races in the same year, following last season’s winner Up to Date, and has provided both trainer Shoichiro Wada and jockey Shinichi Ishigami with their second G1 title. Already guaranteed the JRA Champion Jump Jockey Award of 2016, Ishigami is now tied with Tadashi Kosaka in 2006 in capturing the most seasonal graded jump victories (a total of five), landing four graded titles with Oju Chosan and also the Kyoto Jump Stakes with Dream Sailing in November.

The race was off with Dream Sailing taking the lead, the defending champion Up to Date stalking the pace and Oju Chosan a couple of lengths from that in third as the field cleared the water jump (fence 2) the first time around. The front runner enhanced his lead to two to three lengths as the heavily favored winner was reserved seven lengths from Up to Date as they cleared the brush fence (fence 5) and changed hands while the rest of the field also trailed several lengths from that.

Second pick Up to Date made his move by closing in on Dream Sailing at the eighth obstacle and finally took over the lead in the backstretch by the tenth jump (fence 4) as Oju Chosan, in close pursuit, also pinned the tiring pace setter going through the last dip. Up to Date desperately tried to hold on to his brief lead but was caught by Oju Chosan at the final fence (fence 11) and had nothing left turning the last corner as the five-year-old bay displayed his outstanding stamina to romp to a most convincing nine-length victory.

Other Horses:
3rd: (11) Le Pere Noel—raced in 6th early, advanced to 5th at 2nd corner (1st lap), then to 4th at 5th obstacle (fence 6), passed pacesetter after final obstacle (fence 5)
4th: (3) Sanrei Duke—settled 3rd from rear, gradually made headway, passed tired rivals at stretch
5th: (6) Tyrian Purple—sat 7th, improved position after 5th obstacle (fence 6), never a threat
6th: (1) Dream Sailing—set pace, led until 10th obstacle (fence 4), outrun thereafter
7th: (7) Kau Wela—raced toward rear early, gradually advanced, lacked needed kick
8th: (4) Ludwig Code—traveled near rear, passed tired rival at stretch
9th: (8) Kurino Daikokuten—rated in middle of field, unable to reach contention
10th: (2) Tosen Hanamizuki—ran in 4th early, gradually dropped back
11th: (10) Win il Sole—in rear throughout, no factor
Scratched: (5) Makio Bowler—due to lameness in right shoulder

THE 139TH NAKAYAMA DAISHOGAI (J-G1)
3-year-old & up, 4,100 meters (about 2.56 miles), turf
Friday, December 23, 2016       Nakayama Racecourse     10th Race      Post time: 14:45
Total prize money: ¥ 142,660,000 (about US$ 1,188,000 <US$1=¥120>)
3-y-o: 61kg (about 135 lbs), 4-y-o & up: 63kg (about 139 lbs), 2kg allowance for Fillies & Mares
Safety factor: 18 runners

1. 1.Oju Chosan (JPN), bay, horse, 5-year-old
   Stay Gold / Shadow Silhouette (Symboli Kris S)

   Owner: Chosan Co., Ltd.	Breeder: Naoyoshi Nagayama
   Trainer: Shoichiro Wada	Jockey: Shinichi Ishigami
   17 Starts, 7 Wins (15 Starts, 7 Wins *steeplechases only)
   Added money: ¥ 66,420,000	Career earnings: ¥ 250,924,000 (¥ 250,924,000 *steeplechases only)
   Principal Race Performances:	’16 Nakayama Grand Jump (J-G1, 4,250m)	1st
   	’16 Tokyo High-Jump (J-G2, 3,110m)	1st
   	’16 Tokyo Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,110m)	1st

   
   
2. 2.Up to Date (JPN), gray, horse, 6-year-old
   Kurofune / Linear Muse (Tony Bin)

   Owner: Kazuo Imanishi	Breeder: North Hills Co,. Ltd.
   Trainer: Shozo Sasaki	Jockey: Mitsuaki Hayashi

   
   
3. 3.Le Pere Noel (JPN), dark bay or brown, horse, 6-year-old
   Admire Moon / Santa Mama (Lear Fan)

   Owner: K. Hidaka Breeders Union	Breeder: Daiten Farm
   Trainer: Hideaki Fujiwara	Jockey: Jun Takada

* Nakayama Daishogai (J-G1)

The history of the Nakayama Daishogai dates back to 1934 when the biggest jump race in Japan was established in the aim of providing equal excitement to the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), which was the most popular race in flat racing. The highest level of steeplechase racing was originally held as a biannual event held in April and December until the spring version was renamed the Nakayama Grand Jump (J-G1, 4,250m) in 1999. Still, the two jump races continued to position itself as the only two obstacle races of J-G1 level of equal standard and its results serving as a decisive factor in the selection of the seasonal JRA Award for Best Steeplechase Horse. In addition to the Nakayama Grand Jump, which was designated an international race in 2000, the Nakayama Daishogai became an international steeplechase event open to foreign contenders in 2011.
The Nakayama Daishogai features 11 jumps over the figure-of-eight-shaped course which includes six up-and-downs over the banks. The first half resembles that of the Nakayama Grand Jump while the Nakayama Daishogai does not include the movable hurdles along the outside turf track and the total distance being 150 meters shorter. The uphill stretch before the wire also is quite a test for many of the runners especially after running at a solid pace throughout the race.
Last year’s winner Up to Date concluded his prosperous season notching the 2015 Best Steeplechase Horse title, however due to a popped splint in his left foreleg earlier this season, he was forced to pass up the Nakayama Grand Jump in the spring. The defending champion was entered off a Hanshin Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,140m) runner-up finish in September.
After dominating this year’s Nakayama Grand Jump, Oju Chosan went on to capture consecutive wins in the Tokyo Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,110m) in June, and the Tokyo High-Jump (J-G2, 3,110m) in which he put away 2014 Nakayama Daishogai and 2015 Nakayama Grand Jump third-place finisher Sanrei Duke who finished sixth. Dream Sailing came off a victory in the Kyoto Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,170m) in November.
Also among the line-up were Shuyo Jump Stakes (3,110m) finishers; runner-up Le Pere Noel, seventh-placed Tosen Hanamizuki and ninth-place Kau Wela. Coming off their Illumination Jump Stakes (3,570m) starts were; Ludwig Code, Tyrian Purple and Win il Sole, in fifth, sixth and ninth, respectively. Kurino Daikokuten was at the gate after finishing sixth in his previous open class steeplechase race (3,300m). Kokura Summer Jump (J-G3, 3,390m) winner Makio Bowler was scratched due to lameness in his right shoulder.
Symboli Montreux (JPN, by Mogami) set the record when winning the 1991 Nakayama Daishogai (Autumn) in 4:37.2.