Danon Tornado

Taku Fukunaga, assistant trainer
“He’s been at the stable since his last race and there’s no change with him. He’s been moving well in training. He’s quite an easy horse to get ready for a race and he’s fine when it comes to an actual race as well. He has plenty of stamina. We won’t know how he does at the distance this time until we try, but I think he’ll be fine. He knows how to race, so hopefully he’ll give it his best over the extended trip.”

Durezza

Tomohito Ozeki, trainer
“I feel he’s developing well and has plenty of ability. He’s been running smoothly in training on the woodchip course. He might not be an out and out stayer, but he gets into his races well and has a good finish. He’s in among top colts here, but he’s had results against older horses and I want him to put that experience to good use this time.”

Christophe Lemaire, jockey
“He’s been moving well and not showing any tiredness. It’s a big challenge in a Grade 1, but he has potential and I think he has a chance.”

Hearts Concerto

Ryo Takei, trainer
“He’s much better for having his last race, even though he was a bit tired after it. His heart and lungs are strong, and the extra distance of the race this time will suit him better than the Derby. It won’t be a full field, so we don’t have to worry about his prize-money level to get a run, and I hope everything goes well as he heads into this race and that he’ll do his best.”

Libyan Glass

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer
“He’s in good shape and looks well in his coat. He’s easy to control for the jockey, and we’ll just have to see how he measures up against the others in the race.”

Takahide Ando, assistant trainer
“He’s worked well recently with his training partners. In the Kyoto Shimbun Hai, he made the running and posted a 33 second sectional time, so the downhill run at the course is fine for him. I’m not worried about the distance of 3,000 meters, as he’s quite an easy horse to control. I don’t think he has to lead in the race, but I just want him to tackle things in a positive way.”

Meiner Laulea

Toru Miya, trainer
“He seems better than before his last race. He weighed 496kg for that, which was a bit less than two starts back, but this time he should weigh a bit more. He’s a horse to think about from now, but since his debut I’ve thought highly of him. Being by Gold Ship, he has plenty of stamina. He doesn’t pull, so I don’t see any problem with him running over 3,000 meters, and the downhill run should suit him. The opposition’s strong this time, but I’m interested to see what he can do here.”

Night in London

Masahiro Otake, trainer
“He has a big stride, so working on the woodchip course has been best for him. He’s come on well with his work in training and we’ve brought him up to speed. On his breeding, I’ve wanted to give him a try in the Kikuka Sho. He got a bit worked up in the paddock last time, and looking at that race, the extra distance in this next one should be fine. He won’t wear cheekpieces this time, as he seems more switched on without them and runs with more power.”

Nocking Point

Yu Ota, assistant trainer
“He had a break at the farm and came back to the stable on September 29. He looked a little flat when it was hot, but the jockey has since been making sure the horse is moving well. The 3,000 meters of the race is an unknown, and depending on how the race is run, he might have a tendency to pull, but the jockey can hopefully ride him in a positive way and get him to run smoothly.”

Hiroshi Kitamura, jockey
“He’s been looking good these past two weeks and is in good condition. I think he can handle the distance of 3,000 meters in the race.”

Pax Ottomanica

Takashi Kubota, trainer
“He’s trained well with blinkers on, but he won’t wear them in the race. When he won for the first time, I thought he was a horse for turf races over a distance. He’s recovered from his last race and is better for it. He’s improved since the summer, and I feel he’s developing the right way. It’s best if he runs up with the pace.”

Kazutaka Ikeuchi, assistant trainer
“He looked a bit loose after coming back from the farm, but with time and training, he’s been improving since. He’s a horse with ability, and we’ll just have to see how he handles the distance of this next race. It’s best if he gets a good start and can settle well into a good rhythm. He needs to run at his own pace and be patient, and that’s the way I’d like to see him race here.”

Hironobu Tanabe, jockey
“He’s been the same in training, and while he doesn’t particularly stand out, he does things the way that’s best for him.”

Phantom Thief

Takayuki Nagi, assistant trainer
“He came out of his last race well. There’s been a good feel about him and things have gone as expected with his preparation. His footwork’s good, and we’ve been careful not to overdo things with him. He gets into the flow of a race well, so I don’t see a problem with 3,000 meters, as he has stamina too. The Kyoto turf will probably be fast, so his last race will have been good experience for him. He should match up well with the others of his generation and I hope he’ll do his best right up to the finish in this next race.”

Yutaka Take, jockey
“He’s a horse with stamina, and is easy to ride. I’d like to get a good early position in the race, and he has a chance with the condition he’s in, so I want to get a result with him. I have a good image of the race, as my first Grade 1 win was in the Kikuka Sho, so hopefully he’ll run well in the race.”

Satono Glanz

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“The horse is better than he was in the spring. His workload has been good, and his responses at the end of his work have been good also. His latest time in training was better than I thought it would be. He might still be a little loose, but compared to the spring he’s a different horse now. He came out of his last race well, and it’s an advantage to have won at Kyoto. I think he’ll find a good rhythm over the distance this time. From the third corner, there’s a downhill run on the outer course, which should suit him, as it takes him just a little time to pick up pace. With the power he has, I look forward to this Grade 1 with him.”

Savona

Kazuya Nakatake, trainer
“He’s picked up well in training since last week and has shown improvement. He’s more flexible now and doesn’t waste any energy. There’s a good feeling about him.”

Masaaki Shibata, assistant trainer
“He’s worked well on the woodchip course, and as a big horse, he’s better for his training. As he gets bigger, he’s developing in the right way and can take on the kind of opposition he’ll meet this time. I think he’ll handle the distance fine, and with this as his target race, it was a good prep last time. It will be interesting to see how he runs.”

Season Rich

Kazutaka Ikeuchi, assistant trainer
“He’s been at the stable since his last race and things have been as expected with him. He’s moving better now that he’s had a recent race. It would be good if he could just produce a bit more in his races, as since his debut he has shown ability. Hopefully he’ll find a good rhythm in this next race over 3,000 meters and run to his best.”

Taiga Tsunoda, jockey
“He let off some steam in his last race. He can switch on a bit too easily, but with the blinkers on in training, he’s shown a lot more of his ability. It’ll be my first ride in a Classic race, so I’m very pleased to get the ride and hope to do well over the 3,000 meters.”

Shonan Bashitto

Naosuke Sugai, trainer
“He’s improving as he gets older and he’s filling out more, which I’m pleased about. He has enough power and ability to run over the 3,000 meters, and even against the other strong horses, I think he can run a good race, and I’m expecting him to do so.”

Mirco Demuro, jockey
“He’s worked solo and has been moving well. I’ve paid attention to the finish with him. He should be fine with the distance of the race.”

Sol Oriens

Takahisa Tezuka, trainer
“It was a good enough race for him last time, despite him not being able to win. Thankfully he came out of that race well and everything’s about the same as before his last race. He’s as I would expect, and the same goes for his times in training. We’re just making sure he doesn’t do too much bearing in mind the long transportation to the track this time. He might not be completely suited to a long-distance race, but he shouldn’t have any problems finding his rhythm and getting into the race well. I feel he can win another Grade 1.”

Takeshi Yokoyama, jockey
“It was a pity about the result last time, but there were no problems with him after it, and it was a good enough result to look to this next race with him. He’s currently not too tense, and he’s worked well right up to the end of his training. I’d like some revenge for the Derby, so I’m hoping for a good result.”

Tastiera

Noriyuki Hori, trainer
“He’s nice and fresh now, and he’s more balanced when he runs, knowing when to take the bit. He recently weighed 488kg. He has a lot of stamina, and he doesn’t show any sign of stopping when he’s running, so I think he can take on his opponents this time without any worries. It was a very hot summer, and I think it’s to his advantage that he’s coming back for a race just now, even though that wasn’t the original plan.”

Joao Moreira, jockey
“He’s a Derby winning horse, so he certainly has ability. He’s relaxed in training, and all’s good with him, so I can feel confident. I don’t think he’ll have any trouble with the course and the distance, as he’s already shown what a strong horse he is.”

Top Knife

Mitsugu Kon, trainer
“He’s refreshed after his run in the Sapporo Kinen, where he ran very well up against strong horses. He’s better mentally and has become an easier horse to ride.”

Masaki Kon, assistant trainer
“His balance is good, and he’s been working well with the jockey in training. In the spring Grade 1 races, he wasn’t able to put together good results, but in his last race he ran well, and because of that we can look to this race with more confidence. I think he still has a lot more to give, so we’ll look forward to what he can do this time.”

Win Odin

Yuichi Shikato, trainer
“He’s been moving well in training and his reactions are good, but we’ll take things easy with him in this last week before the transportation to the track. I honestly don’t know about the race distance this time until we try, but he’s been getting into his races a lot better than before, and looking at his last race, I think we should try and see what he can do this time. He’s still a young horse, and the opposition’s strong, but I’m interested to see what he might do here.”