Training Report of Foreign Entries
The 67th Running of the Yasuda Kinen (G1)

June 1, 2017 (Thursday)

<At Tokyo Racecourse>

Weather: Cloudy
Going: Firm (turf course), Good (dirt course)

Beauty Only (IRE, G6, Bay)

- jogged, galloped from the gate 1,600m out (breezed last 2 furlongs) on turf course
(exercised from 7:56 AM to 8:08 AM, ridden by Wai Kit Mo)

“In quarantine, he lost a lot of weight but with all the work he’s doing, he’s settled in very well and he eats and drinks very good. The trip coming over here to the racecourse was very good-—he’s much more professional now and I believe he’s gained weight too. He’s constantly a very relaxed type of horse.
This morning he did a jump-out and galloped seven furlongs, the last two were just relaxed. It was a good blow-out and this is what we need to do to get him into top condition. I also saw this morning how well he’s handling the corners of the left-handed course so that doesn’t worry me.
In his previous race, the Champions Mile, we ran into a bit of traffic at the top of the straight and we got beaten. It was a race we could have won and since he is so well suited to the firm Tokyo track, we decided to bring him here this year.
A gate in the middle—somewhere between one and eight—would be ideal.”

(Comments taken from Anthony Cruz)

Contentment (AUS, G7, Chestnut)

- jogged 8 min. in exercise arena, jogged 1/4 lap, cantered ~ galloped in homestretch, cantered 3/4 lap on dirt course
(exercised from 8:00 AM to 8:21 AM, ridden by Sing Hon Pang)

“He seems to have benefitted from his experience coming here last year and seems to have settled in quarantine a lot quicker. After coming to Fuchu it was similar—he also settled in a bit better, is more relaxed and has maintained his strength and looks strong. His weight loss through the transport is similar to last year but I wouldn’t worry about it because his muscle still looks strong.
In last year’s performance, he wasn’t suitable at all here, but it was probably because he had no experience on this track and running left-handed. But now that he’s done that I’m hoping he’ll improve dramatically although it is obviously a very testing course with the long straight and uphill. But the tempo of the race is usually not so fast so I think he has a chance.
We have no special tactics, I wouldn’t change his pattern. I’ll take a look at the draw and the other horses, but normally he’ll follow the leaders pretty closely in the first four, hopefully he’ll travel well, have horses to race up to the line and finish in the top four or five.
Regarding the draw, to be in the inside half of the field would probably help him a lot.”

(Comments taken from John Size)