Naosuke Sugai, trainer
“Things have gone as expected in training, and he’s looked quick. With just one week in between races, he’ll go into the race with no problems and his condition is good enough. Even though he doesn’t pull, the distance might be difficult, as well as breathing well throughout. He is still progressing though, and hopefully he’ll get to show his ability when running with a group of horses.”

Caudillo

Kazutomo Mori, assistant trainer
“He has taken some time to regain his weight since the summer. Sometimes in his races, he hasn’t been able to run on well at the finish, and it’s all about concentration with him. He has stamina, but is also a bit highly strung, so the key will be to get him to concentrate over the extended trip. Jockey Mirco Demuro knows what to do with the horse, so hopefully things will go well.”

Yuta Sato, exercise rider
“He feels good and has worked well in training since his runs in Hokkaido. I think the distance will be fine for him, and even if the ground is a bit soft, he should be able to handle that too.”

Hishi Gekko

Kazutomo Mori, assistant trainer
“After finishing third in the Principal Stakes this spring, he didn’t get to run in the Japanese Derby, and has therefore been aimed at this race. He is in good enough condition going into it. He should be suited to the Kyoto track with his footwork. He is a little bit on his toes, and with it being his first time to travel over to the Kansai area, getting things right mentally with him will be one of the keys.”

Ho O Sabel

Takeshi Okumura, trainer
“I’m very pleased with his condition and the way he’s developing. He has won his last two races, and after his last win I can give him high marks. He has stamina and knows when to switch on and off in a race. I’m looking forward to his run here, even though the distance is further.”

Masayoshi Ebina, jockey
“He is a very calm horse and seems mature with it, and is therefore easy to ride. He has come on a lot since the spring. I’m not worried about the distance, as all the other horses are looking to see out the trip as well. I have ridden good horses over the longer trips at Kyoto before, so I have a good idea of what’s needed.”

Meisho Tengen

Kaneo Ikezoe, trainer
“He should come on a lot for his last race. With his pedigree, and his ability to run at a good rhythm, I’m not worried about the distance. Hopefully he’ll get a good start and get into a position early on, and things will be different from his last race. He needs just a bit of time to pick up speed.”

Naoyuki Morita, trainer
“It’s been great to get her into the race, and the 3,000 meters looks fine. Her heart and lungs are strong, and last time the jockey just took off with her. She has trained well since at Ritto, and there’s no problem with her breathing. She never seems to get tired.”

Naimama

Yoshinori Muto, trainer
“We’ve been able to look to this race with him since the summer. He has done his usual work on the training course with no problems, and he gets better with a race under him. The distance is an unknown until we try, but he hasn’t been pulling, so hopefully he’ll get into the flow of the race. He’s been drawn wide the last two races, so I’m hoping for an inside gate where he can save ground in the run.”

Nishino Daisy

Noboru Takagi, trainer
“We’ve had the jockey get a feel for the horse in training, and in his last work this week, the horse has really looked good. He’s developed well, especially mentally. He ran well last time when finding a good rhythm, so hopefully he can settle in the same way over 3,000 meters. I want him to run the best he can.”

Christophe Lemaire, jockey
“He ran well in training, picking up speed naturally, and showed that he’s in good condition. He wasn’t tired after passing the winning post. The 3,000 meters shouldn’t be a problem for him, and as he’s by Harbinger, even in the wet he should be fine. I’d like him just to be a little more forward in the race this time, but to stay relaxed.”

Red Genial

Yoshitada Takahashi, trainer
“I feel satisfied with him. He has gotten bigger and has developed well both physically and mentally. H has moved well in training, particularly at the end of his run. It’s going to be interesting to see what he can do here, and hopefully everything will be good with him leading into the race.”

Satono Lux

Yasutoshi Ikee, trainer
“I think it won’t be long before he does better in his races, as he gradually shows signs of improvement. One thing is to stop him getting agitated and taking the bit too soon. Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga looks suited to the horse and should be able to get the best out of him. The horse’s condition is good, and with his Sadler’s Wells bloodline, I hope he can see out the distance.”

Yuichi Fukunaga,jockey
“He’s easy to ride, moves well and has shown this in his work. I rode his full sister Touching Speech, and while their size is different, there are similarities. During the summer months their development is apparent, and it’s certainly the case for this horse.”

Sifflement

Shogo Nakagawa, assistant trainer
“He hasn’t needed a heavy workload. His footwork is good and he’s a well-balanced horse. He usually has an honest approach to racing. Ground which is not too fast would be best for him, and hopefully on the day of the race he’ll be calm.”

Tagano Diamante

Ippo Sameshima, trainer
“His movement in training has been good, and he should be just right going into the race. He’s improved a lot since the spring. I think he’ll be fine over the 3,000 meters on the outer course. It’ll just depend on how the race works out and whether he’s able to get into the flow of things accordingly.”

Unicorn Lion

Shigeki Miyauchi, assistant trainer
“He’s come along as expected. While still a little childish, he’s become more mature since the spring. We don’t know about the distance, but the horse has stamina. It’s to be hoped that, despite his immaturity, he gets to run a good race the whole way around. Particularly downhill from the third corner, it will be interesting to see how he performs, and I don’t think the ground is an issue with him.”

Velox

Mitsumasa Nakauchida, trainer
“He always shows a lot of strength in his races and gives it the very best. He is quite an easy horse to train, and since the summer he has come on well. While it’ll be his first time over 3,000 meters, and the Kyoto 3,000 meters is a bit unique, again he should run to his best. If the ground comes up soft, I still want him to race well.”

Teruhiko Saruhashi, assistant trainer
“We can look to the race with confidence, as everything has gone well with him. He has stamina and good racing sense, and the 3,000 meters poses no problems. The Kyoto course suits him and all being well, he’ll put in a good run.”

Kenichi Fujioka, trainer
“He’s better for having his last race. While it can take him a little time to pick up, the longer distance will be to his advantage. Also the Kyoto course with its downhill sections will suit him, but of course the distance is an unknown. I think he has a chance if he gets to run his race and can act on the going on the day.”

World Premiere

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“The jockey has worked him on the woodchip course over some distance, and the horse has looked good. He’s recovered over the summer from his spring campaign of races, and it’s good he’s had the one recent run to sharpen him up. While he can misbehave a little, he seems to have improved on this front, and in some ways, I think this is actually good for him. I think he’ll be fine over the 3,000 meters, and despite the tension that goes with him, we can look to the race and expect a good showing.”

Zadar

Masahiro Otake, trainer
“The distance of the race is one of the keys, and we won’t know until we try, but his sire Tosen Ra finished third in the Kikuka Sho, so on breeding it doesn’t look to be a problem. Another factor will be transporting him over to Kyoto, as he’s only run at Nakayama and Tokyo so far. We’ll send him over a day or two before the race and hope everything works out well with him on that front. As for the race itself, I hope he can run up to his best.”

Shu Ishibashi, jockey
“The horse has good racing sense and generally handles the racetracks well. He can run from any position and get into the flow of a race well, providing the pace isn’t too strong. The Kyoto course is quite easy to ride, and I want to do my best to get the horse to show his full potential.”