Almond Eye

Sakae Kunieda, trainer
“Everything’s been fine with her since returning from Dubai, and although she only came back from the farm to Miho recently, she’s in good condition. She’s relaxed, and last week in training all went well, and in her last piece of trackwork this week, she finished off strongly. Mentally she’s in the right place too. In last year’s Yasuda Kinen, she had trouble at the start, but generally you have to say the Tokyo mile suits her, and that even off a fast pace, she can get into a good position in the race.”

Arusha

Kazuo Fujisawa, trainer
“The race is left-handed over a mile this time, but she seems relaxed enough now to handle this. She has speed too, so I expect her to do well.”

Daisuke Tsumagari, assistant trainer
“She hasn’t yet won a really big race, but she has good racing sense and a lot of potential. She won the Utopia Stakes over a mile at Tokyo, so she can handle the track and distance, and I want her to try her best here.”

Beach Samba

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“She’s switched on and has been moving well in training. She’s had gate practice, so there shouldn’t be a problem with that. The Tokyo mile suits her, and she has finished second twice in big races there. The long straight is no problem for her. Even though it’s a strong field, hopefully she’ll jump well and soon get into the flow of things and get to run a good race.”

Contra Check

Kazuo Fujisawa, trainer
“She’s in good shape. She’s had to deal with softer ground in some of her races, but with firmer ground, I’d expect her to run a lot better and react quicker too.”

Daisuke Tsumagari, assistant trainer
“From the mile start at Tokyo, it’s a long run to the first turn, so she should get into her rhythm with no problem. She would have a good chance if she gets to show her speed too. I hope the ground will be firm for her, and I’m looking forward to her run here.”

Danon Fantasy

Teruhiko Saruhashi, assistant trainer
“She recently weighed about 480kg and looked a bit leaner. She should come on for her last race, and her racing ability now is better than it was previously. I’m not worried about her adjusting to how the race might be run. The mile is probably her best trip, and racing left-handed presents no problem at all. If things go well for her, she should be able to show what a powerful horse she is.”

Dimension

Nobuyuki Tashiro, assistant trainer
“Her condition doesn’t change so much, and having had regular races, we don’t worry about times so much with her in training. She’s a horse with a lot of flexibility, but racing left-handed over a mile is probably one of the best kind of races for her. I think she can run well even in a Grade 1, providing she gets into a good natural rhythm.”

Loves Only You

Shigeki Miyauchi, assistant trainer
“She’s become a lot more mature now. Her reactions and movement have been good in training, and she’s adjusted well going into this race. On her breeding, I think you can say a mile wouldn’t be a problem. With the condition she’s in, I think she’s capable of running a good race over this distance.”

Hideaki Fujiwara, trainer
“She’s been training well. It’s good she’s been able to get into the race on her prize money total. Her dam won the race, so I like to think pedigree-wise, she measures up here.”

Nobuyuki Tashiro, assistant trainer
“She has had recent races, so we’ve just concentrated on her finishes in training, and she’s looked pretty good. It’s interesting that her mother won the race, and I’m wondering what she might be able to achieve in this race too.”

Normcore

Kiyoshi Hagiwara, trainer
“It was misty during her last trackwork, and the track was a bit heavy, but talking to the jockey afterwards, he said that she moved well and is in good condition, which she has maintained since her last race. There are a lot of strong horses in the race this time, but I’m able to look at it with confidence, particularly after her winning performance last year in record time.”

Primo Scene

Tetsuya Kimura, trainer
“She only recently returned to the stable, but gradually she’s been clicking it up, and I’m pleased she’s taking on this race. In her last piece of work, she was her usual self, giving it her all.”

Yu Ota, assistant trainer
“She’s won a graded race and she was second in this race last year, and racing left-handed over a mile would really seem to suit. She’s a speedy type, and fast ground would be good. If all goes well, she must have a good chance.”

Damian Lane, jockey
“She’s in good condition, and her response at the finish in training was very good. It’s great to have won a Grade 1 in Japan, but this time it feels a little strange to be on the horse that placed second last year, while I was on the winner. There are a lot of strong horses again this time, but I have confidence in my ride this time too.”

Satono Garnet

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer
“Everything’s gone as planned with her this week, and she’s been working well. It was her first time at the mile in her last race, so I’m wondering just what she might be able to do this time around.”

Shigeki Miyauchi, assistant trainer
“She’s worked pretty well uphill in training. She’s now had experience racing over a mile, and I hope that she’ll handle the Tokyo track alright this time.”

Scarlet Color

Ryo Takahashi, trainer
“Her appetite remains good. She’s had her usual pattern of training, with some good work last week, and she just worked solo this week. Jockey Shu Ishibashi checked things over with her. The horse got a good result in the Fuchu Himba Stakes, so Tokyo seems fine for her. She’s pretty genuine when it comes to her racing. She’ll have to transport over, so she might lose a little weight. Being of the same generation as Almond Eye, and not being beaten too much by her in the Oka Sho, it’ll be interesting to see what happens. After her last good run, and the condition she’s now in, I’d expect her to do well here.”

Shadow Diva

Makoto Saito, trainer
“With the Triabit, she runs much better, and there won’t be a problem with her racing left-handed this time. She ran well in the Tokyo Shimbun Hai. Her footwork’s good and she is getting better at the start, and with a race under her belt, I’m hoping for things to go well this time, so she can get her good late finish in.”

Shigeru Pink Dia

Kunihiko Watanabe, trainer
“In her last race, it just wasn’t the way she usually runs. Her work this week has been good and the jockey knows the horse well. There’s been no problem with her gate practice. One of the keys will be how she transports over to the track, and hopefully she won’t lose too much weight. Last year she was fine for the Turquoise Stakes, perhaps not so much the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks). So it’ll be all about her maintaining the condition she’s in and bringing it to the race. I really want to see her show her turn of foot.”

Sound Chiara

Akio Adachi, trainer
“Things are not so different with her, although mentally she’s improved and she seems physically in better shape. She always tries her best as we’ve seen with her three good runs this year. She has raced at Tokyo, and going left-handed is fine for her. I think she has a chance here and I want her to try her best. I’d like an inside draw.”

Kohei Matsuyama, jockey
“She’s a powerful horse, and I notice that she’s got stronger since I started riding her again this year. Her responses are very good and she can race from any position. It’s great to see she’s won her last three races. She ran at Tokyo last year, so I don’t think there’s a problem there. Even though there are a lot of strong horses in the race, I want her to run her own race and get a good result.”

Therapeia

Kenichi Fujioka, trainer
“Her times weren’t bad in training considering the track condition, and she ran smoothly, while being waited with. I’m looking forward to what she might do here.”

Masaoki Nakata, assistant trainer
“She experienced the transportation over for the Flora Stakes, and now she seems more relaxed than at that time. Mentally she’s improved. I think the mile is better for her when it comes to the flow of a race, and there should be a lot of speed on in the race, which should also help her. She’s a horse with talent, and I want to see her put in her best performance here.”

Yukihiro Kato, trainer
“We weren’t sure whether she would get into the race with her prize money as it is, but she has made the cut and we now have a chance to take on the race. She’s moved well in training and her condition remains very good, so there’s no problem when it comes to that. Her racing sense has improved, so putting it altogether, I want her to show her best here.”

Trois Etoiles

Takayuki Yasuda, trainer
“Last year from the spring onwards she put in some good races, particularly her run and time in the Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap. If she can find that form again, it would be good. Her last two races have been unexpectedly out of character, and while she does have a bit of a mind of her own, I’d like to see her bounce back here with a bit more boldness. A little rain might help her chances.”