Yuki Uehara, trainer
“His physical condition is good, and he’s shown this in the way he’s been moving in training. He’s better for his last race, and the jockey (Kazuo Yokoyama) thinks so too. With his two runs already at Nakayama, I think with the extended distance this time, it will suit his stamina more than a fast-run race. With him getting better in races, despite the strong opponents this time, he should be able to show his strength here too.”

Byzantine Dream

Tomoyasu Sakaguchi, trainer
“I’ve always thought he was a strong horse with a big stride, and he showed that last time in the Kisaragi Sho. There’s no big change with him, except that he’s becoming more relaxed, and that’s the best thing for him. He’s just had the two starts, so we don’t know his full potential.”

Sakaguchi, assistant trainer
“After his stay at Northern Farm Shigaraki, he seems a little less tense, so it seems he’s getting more mature. We’ve had his race jockey (Bauyrzhan Murzabayev) ride the horse in work. He’s tried to be patient with the horse, keeping him off the pace in training, but he’s still a bit difficult to control. It will be one of the keys to him in the race, as to how much better he can settle this time.”

Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, jockey
“He’s in good condition and is moving well. It’s important to keep him relaxed, and then he has a lot more to give in a race.”

Cosmo Kuranda

Shizuya Kato, trainer
“He’s a horse that’s improving, and he gets better for his races. It’s been important to get the jockey to get a feel for the horse, and for how he can ride him. The horse seems suited to the track.”

Hiroyuki Yamazaki, assistant trainer
“He looks a lot better in his coat now that spring is here. To be honest, I was surprised by his last run, and how he’s developed in a way that I couldn’t have predicted. With the way he won his last race, he looks to have plenty of stamina, which will serve him well in races from now.”

Joao Moreira, jockey
“He has a big stride and plenty of stamina. The home straight at Nakayama is not so long, but if he runs smoothly and can stride out well, he should be able to run a good race.”

Danon Decile

Shogo Yasuda, trainer
“With his prize money being sufficient, we’re able to go directly to the Satsuki Sho with him. He was taken good care of at the Yamamoto Training Center before returning to the stable on March 7. He’s improved more than I thought he would since his early days. His recent work has been good, and hopefully things will go smoothly in the lead up to the race, and he’ll show more improvement again. It’s hard to tell how he might measure up with the opposition this time, but I think he’s quite capable of running a good race.”

Ecoro Walz

Mitsunori Makiura, trainer
“He’s been working solo on the woodchip course, and he’s been running with a nice rhythm. We have to think of the transportation to the track, so it’s important to keep him relaxed. His way of racing has been different in all four of his starts so far, and despite it being his first time at Nakayama this time, I don’t see any problems. He’s got results in races taking in four corners, so I think the 2,000 meters at Nakayama will be fine for him and he’ll get into the flow of things.”

Yutaka Take, jockey
“He feels relaxed in training when by himself, and the key to him will be getting him to relax in the race as well.”

Ho O Purosangue

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer
“He’s been running well and is improving gradually. I’m pleased with his times, and there seem to be no problems at all.”

Yusaku Oka, assistant trainer
“He’s doing well, despite still being a young horse, but he is gradually becoming more mature. He doesn’t have great closing speed, so I think it’s better if he gets to be well forward in a race, just like he did last time. It’s important that he concentrates right up to the final stages of a race, and in that way, he gives his best.”

Jantar Mantar

Tomokazu Takano, trainer
“We started him off this year in the Kyodo News Hai, and he was calm on the day and handled the transportation to the track alright. I thought the way the race was run, finishing second was a good result. After that, we sent him to the Yamamoto Training Center for a break, and he came back to the stable on March 22. He’s cantered on the uphill training track and seems easier to ride now. He’s developing more as well. I believe in him, and the ability he has, so I want him to show his best in this next race.”

Yuga Kawada, jockey
“He has a lot more ability now, compared to before. He’s more relaxed when running, and easier to control, so these points should help him over the 2,000 meters at Nakayama. I hope everything goes smoothly right up to the race.”

Justin Milano

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“He can get a bit tense in a new environment, but last time at Tokyo, he was fine with just one handler. He’s a big-striding horse, and we’ll have to see how he does on the small oval track in a race with many runners. The ground might not be in the best condition on the last weekend of racing as well, but he’s quite easy to control, which I think works in his favor. I think he can handle any kind of race. With the talent he has, I think he has a chance, and I’m hoping for a good run, as we look ahead to the Derby with him.”

Lucullan Feast

Yuichi Shikato, trainer
“He doesn’t hang now, and so he’s been running a lot smoother, improving since his last race. His workload has been good enough. The opposition’s strong this time, but he got used to racing in a tighter group of runners last time, and I think with each race he’s getting better, so he should be able to handle things well here.”

Meisho Tabaru

Mamoru Ishibashi, trainer
“He did his hard work last week, so this week’s been a bit easier on him. His times in training have been faster than I would have expected. He seems very powerful, and strong mentally as well, having won his last two races, and having overcome some difficulties before them. It’ll be his first time to have to transport a long distance to the track, but it seems that he’s not fazed by much, as he’s shown in training and in his races. His jockey (Suguru Hamanaka) has won on him twice, so I can count on him to do a good job.”

Mr G T

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer
“He’s been quite relaxed in training. We’ve used shallow blinkers, which he’ll wear in the race too.”

Yusaku Oka, assistant trainer
“We’ve had the jockey (Yusuke Fujioka) ride him, and the horse has been working with stablemate Shin Emperor. He’s just moved steadily, which is good enough for him. He’s a horse with ability. He doesn’t seem to eat a lot for a colt. He’ll have the long transportation to the track again this time, but hopefully on the day of the race, he won’t get worked up too much.”

Regaleira

Tetsuya Kimura, trainer
“She’s come along as expected, without any problems. She’s better in her left foreleg now. Once again, she has a new challenge ahead of her here.”

Tomohiro Kusunoki, assistant trainer
“She’s developing well and is in good condition. Her recent work over six furlongs was very good, with her times and movement to match. She’s switched on, but easy to control. With her three races so far, her mental condition has been different each time, so we have made sure to check things over with her after each piece of work, and have her just right for her races. She should be fine at the gate also.”

Shin Emperor

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer
“He’s worked well, with a final furlong time of around 12 seconds. I hope he can run to the level expected of him.”

Yusaku Oka, assistant trainer
“On his return to the stable, he looked a little slow, but he’s shaped up better in recent training, and his times haven’t been bad. He’ll have to transport a long way to the track, so we’re not overdoing things with him. Hopefully his condition will be good and things will go right for him on the day of the race.”

Ryusei Sakai, jockey
“I want to win a Grade 1 race for the Yahagi stable, and prove that this horse is a Grade 1 horse.”

Sirius Colt

Yoshitada Munakata, trainer
“Things have been good with him, and he’s had his usual training routine. He’s done some strong work with the jockey (Kosei Miura), and he now weighs a bit less than he did for his last race, in which he didn’t run badly. His breathing is good, and he’s relaxed, running with a good rhythm. Even among the strong opponents this time, I want him to run his own race. He’s very strong when he pushes forward in a race, so that’s how I’d like to see him run here too.”

Koichi Ishizaka, trainer
“It’s been important to get him to run with a good rhythm. He’s still a young horse, but he’s getting more mature. This is the best he’s been, going into just his third race.”

Tomonori Kanaori, assistant trainer
“He should be fine after what he’s done in training, as everything’s gone well, with this race approaching. He’ll be suited by the 2,000 meters at Nakayama, and the jockey understands the horse’s habits and knows what to do to get the best out of him. I’ll look forward to what the horse can do here.”

Mirco Demuro, jockey
“I’m pleased with the way he’s moving. He’s developing more with his training, and he runs smoothly. We don’t know how he’ll handle the tricky Nakayama course, and the race with a lot of runners, but finding a good rhythm will be most important.”

Sunrise Zipangu

Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer
“He’s given it his all in training, and his times have been faster than I would have thought. He doesn’t look like he’s had some time off at all.”

Masanori Tanaka, assistant trainer
“He’s improved for his recent training, and he doesn’t show any sign of being off for a while. The cellulitis, which caused him to miss the Yayoi Sho, has cleared up. He’ll be back at the track where he ran well two starts ago, so that’s a positive. It’ll be a tough race with all the strong horses in the line-up, but I’m looking forward to how he measures up against them.”

Urban Chic

Ryo Takei, trainer
“He ran a good race last time, which should help him here. Jockey Takeshi Yokoyama said the horse felt a little heavy in training a while ago, but his workload has been good, and I’ve been pleased with his times. He’s looked sharper this last week. He’s developing the right way, and knows more about how to race now. With his stronger physique and all-round improvement, I’m certainly looking forward to the race, and I hope he can get a good result.”

Takeshi Yokoyama, jockey
“He’s still a bit immature, but he’s a better horse now than he was earlier in his career. He’s felt lighter in his most recent work.”

Water Licht

Hiroshi Kawachi, trainer
“He’s done some fast uphill work as part of his preparation. He gained some graded race experience earlier this year in the Shinzan Kinen and the Kisaragi Sho. He’s the type of horse to finish off well in a race. It’s a Grade 1 this time with many runners, so I don’t think it’ll be a slow pace like it was for his last race. I think he’ll be suited by the distance of 2,000 meters, and I hope the pace will be alright for him.”

Hideaki Miyuki, jockey
“He’s been moving well, although he’s not one to stand out in training. There’s no tiredness about him. He should be fine racing over an extra furlong this time, and he’d probably appreciate a bit of cut in the ground on race day.”