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Shingun Michael Claims First J-G1 Victory in Nakayama Daishogai

Five-year-old Shingun Michael captured his first J-G1 triumph while marking his third consecutive graded win. After debuting as a three-year-old, the Shingun Opera horse was winless in his first eight career starts in flat races and was switched to steeplechase racing at the end of the same season. The bay broke his maiden in his third start over fences which was followed by another two wins. This year, he scored his first graded win in June’s Tokyo Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,110m) and collected another grade-race trophy in his most recent start, the Tokyo High-Jump (J-G2, 3,110m) in October. For trainer Keiji Takaichi, this is his first G1 and ninth graded title over both flat and jump races while jockey Mitsuki Kaneko celebrates his first G1 and fourth graded victory, all in jump races.

Shingun Michael broke well and was reserved under Kaneko in sixth to seventh while Delightful set the pace up to the final stages. The field began to make their bids coming out of the second to last dip with Shingun Michael also making headway and ascending to second right behind Bright Quartz immediately after clearing the 10th jump (fence no.4). After jumping the final fence (no.5) beside Bright Quartz, the five-year-old gelding shook off all challenge and maintained a good two-length margin from the top of the stretch to the finish line for his first J-G1 triumph.

“I’m thrilled to have won (a G1 title) at last—it’s a dream come true. Today I let my horse run in a comfortable rhythm while keeping an eye on the favorite (Thinking Dancer) and third-pick (Delightful). I frantically urged him in the stretch and he gave everything he had. I would like a chance to challenge the 2016-18 Best Steeplechase Horse Oju Chosan next,” commented jockey Mitsuki Kaneko.

Sixth favorite Bright Quartz was settled a couple of lengths behind Shingun Michael but caught up with the eventual winner by the sixth jump (no.5), crept up to fourth at the ninth obstacle (no.3) and inherited the lead at the 10th fence (no.4). Although caught by Shingun Michael at the last jump (no.5), the five-year-old bay ran well to the wire to secure second.

Sent off fourth pick Meisho Dassai sat on the heels of Thinking Dancer in third, was unhurried while the others made their bids near the ninth obstacle (no.3), cleared the last fence (no.5) in fifth and showed a good stretch drive to nose out the race favorite in the final strides for third money.

Other Horses:
5th: (10) Le Pere Noel—chased leaders in 3rd or 4th, dropped position after 5th jump (fence no.6), showed effort after 10th jump (fence no.4)
6th: (13) Meadowlark—traveled in 5th, advanced to 3rd after 7th jump (fence no.7), weakened in last 200m
7th: (2) Yokagura—positioned 11th until final corner, improved position at stretch
8th: (6) Shigeru Roninaji—settled behind winner in 7th, lacked needed kick after 7th jump (fence no.7)
9th: (1) Toyo Peace—was off a bit slow, ran 2nd or 3rd from rear, passed tired rivals after 9th jump (fence no.3)
10th: (9) Delightful—set pace, maintained lead until 10th jump (fence no.4), faded
11th: (14) Seagal Fountain—sat in 8th, weakened after 9th jump (fence no.3)
12th: (8) Thracian Code—raced in 9th, failed to keep up with front runners after 5th jump (fence no.6)
13th: (3) South of Border—traveled in 11th, gradually fell back after 10th jump (fence no.4)
14th: (11) Shun Cruise—ran 3rd from rear, no factor
15th: (4) Three Cause Line—broke poorly, trailed in rear throughout

THE 142ND NAKAYAMA DAISHOGAI (J-G1)
3-year-olds & up, 4,100 meters (about 2.56 miles), turf
Saturday, December 21, 2019   Nakayama Racecourse     10th Race      Post time: 14:45
Total prize money: ¥ 142,660,000 (about US$ 1,240,522 <US$1=¥115>)
3-y-o: 61kg (about 135 lbs), 4-y-o & up: 63kg (about 139 lbs), 2kg allowance for Fillies & Mares
Safety factor: 16 runners

1. 1.Shingun Michael (JPN), bay, gelding, 5-year-olds
   Shingun Opera / Devena (Tokai Teio)

   Owner: Shigenori Isaka	Breeder: Hikaru Bokujo
   Trainer: Keiji Takaichi	Jockey: Mitsuki Kaneko
   22 Starts, 6 Wins (14 Starts, 6 Wins *steeplechases only)
   Added money: ¥ 66,525,000	Career earnings: ¥ 207,391,000 (¥ 200,241,000 *steeplechases only)

   
   
2. 2.Bright Quartz (JPN), bay, horse, 5-year-olds
   Workforce / Lace Doll (Kurofune)

   Owner: Silk Racing Co., Ltd.	Breeder: Northern Farm
   Trainer: Yoshiyuki Arakawa	Jockey: higefumi Kumazawa

   
   
3. 3.Meisho Dassai (JPN), dark bay or brown, horse, 6-year-olds
   Suzuka Mambo / Suzuka Bloom (Scatter the Gold)

   Owner: Yoshio Matsumoto	Breeder: Grand Stud
   Trainer: Yuji Iida	Jockey: Kazuma Mori

* 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 victor Nihonpiro Baron (JPN, by Fusaichi Richard) retired from racing after finishing sixth in the Nakayama Grand Jump in April where legendary jumper Oju Chosan (JPN, by Stay Gold) claimed his fourth consecutive title. The Stay Gold horse went on to run three flat races and will kick off the next 2020 season in the Hanshin Spring Jump (J-G2, 3,900m; Mar.14) after given a four-month break.
This year’s line-up featured Tokyo Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,110m; Jun.22) winner Shingun Michael who is coming off another and consecutive graded win in the Tokyo High-Jump (J-G2, 3,110m; Oct.13) where the Kokura Summer Jump (J-G3, 3,390m, Jul.27) victor Meisho Dassai was a neck second. Top three finishers of the Kyoto Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,170m; Nov.9) were Delightful, who registered 4-0-1 out of five starts after switching to jump racing, two-time Nakayama Daishogai third-place finisher Le Pere Noel, and Thracian Code. This year’s Nakayama Grand Jump runner-up Thinking Dancer came off a win in the Shuyo Jump Stakes (3,110m; Nov.16). Key runners coming from the Illumination Jump Stakes (3,570m; Nov.30) were 2018 Kokura Summer Jump champion Yokagura (2nd) and the Hanshin Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,140m; Sep.14) winner Meadowlark (5th).
Oju Chosan set the race record of 4:36.1 in 2017.