Conch Shell

Hisashi Shimizu, trainer
“After her last race, this became the next target for her. She’s come along well and is in good condition, with no problems after her last race. She did well last time, but couldn’t keep things going in the long homestretch. She has won at Nakayama over 1,800 meters, so I don’t see a problem with the four corners in the race this time. Even though she hasn’t run beyond 2,000 meters, I think if she gets to run at her own pace, things should be fine. I’m not worried about her opponents.”

Costa Bonita

Yoshiaki Sugiyama, trainer
“She’s been moving well in training, chasing a horse in front of her. In her last race, the pace didn’t suit her over the 1,800 meters at Tokyo, but she still ran well. In the meantime, she’s done everything as I would have expected in training. If the pace is fair in this next race, she should be able to get into a natural rhythm, and this will be one of the main points about her running a good race, as well as handling the four corners alright. She’ll be in good condition going into the race, and I want her to do her best.”

Erika Vita

Sakae Kunieda, trainer
“She seems to be in good condition, and she’s been running with a good rhythm and stretching out well at the finish of her training. Hopefully she’ll just find another gear in the race this time.”

Katsumi Suzuki, assistant trainer
“She hasn’t needed so much work with the short time between races. Jockey Yusuke Fujioka has been getting a feel for her in training, and the horse looks better in her coat after having had a race. She wore blinkers last time, but didn’t run on at the end of the race, so we’re taking them off this time, and the plan is for her to get some cover in this next race. The opponents will be strong, but I think she can put in a good run.”

Gold Eclipse

Ryuji Okubo, trainer
“We had the Andromeda Stakes in mind for her, but her prize money level is enough to get a start here. She’s in good condition and has been training well, so we’ll put in a challenge in this race. Before some of her races, she’s got a bit worked up in the paddock, and it hasn’t helped her perform to her best. I don’t think it matters that she hasn’t run recently, and I think she can run well if she stays relaxed.”

Kanta Taguchi, jockey
“She’s moved well in training, and has shown patience when running at the back. She’s reacted well when asked for a finish, and it feels like she’s ready to run. I’m not worried about it being her first race in a while.”

Harper

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“She’s been training well. She’s able to get into good positions in her races, but then just falls short when it matters at the end. I thought she could have done better in her last race, but there wasn’t any damage after it, which was a good thing. Her weight was plus 20kg for her last race. She’s worn cheekpieces up to now, but we’ve put blinkers on her in training, and the effect seems to be good when it comes to her responses, so I think she’ll wear them in this next race. The distance of 2,200 meters should also be an advantage for her. Hopefully things will go well, and she’ll put in a better run than she did last time.”

Kiminonawa Maria

Teruhiko Chida, trainer
“She can stiffen up after a race, and since this is a Grade 1, it’s good that she’s had some time since her last race, and that she goes into this one fresh. She will do better with cut in the ground, just like there was when she won a two-win class race at Kyoto. So, the course suits her, and some rain would help her chances.”

Katsuma Sameshima, jockey
“She’s felt a little slow, with some looseness, but has closed well at the finish in training. If it rains, it might be better for her.”

Lilac

Ikuo Aizawa, trainer
“She’s been at the stable since her last race, and jockey Yukito Ishikawa has been riding her in work. The horse has just done enough without overdoing things. We’ve changed her bit and gone back to using a regular one, and this seems to make her run better. She ran well in this race last year, so I think it’s a good race for her. Looking at the other runners in the race this time, I think she has a good enough chance. She might appreciate some rain.”

Moryana

Yoshinori Muto, trainer
“She’s been as usual, and has been working well in training, stretching out at the finish and showing that she’s in good condition. I don’t know that the distance of the race this time is an advantage, but she did run well down the outside in the American Jockey Club Cup to finish fourth. In this next race, it’ll depend on what sort of run she gets, and how she handles the outer course and the homestretch. I want her to show her best in this Grade 1.”

Yasunari Iwata, jockey
“She’s in great shape, and with her retiring this year, I want to bring out the best in her. I think it’s fine for her to race towards the rear, and I’ll be thinking of the best way to ride her.”

Kenji Nonaka, trainer
“We’ve made sure that there’s no tiredness about her, and with her regular work, her condition’s improving as this next race approaches. She has won a turf race before, so I’m not worried about the condition of the race for her, but one point will be to get her to travel smoothly throughout the run, saving as much as possible.”

Taisei Danno, jockey
“There’s no problem with the way she’s been moving, and she seems fine in herself. There’s little change with her, and we’ll just have to see how she does in a Grade 1.”

Ravel

Yusaku Oka, assistant trainer
“She’s filled out more and has a good appetite. She’s worked on the uphill in training, as well as the woodchip course, and things have been as expected. I think on her breeding, she’ll be a horse to get better from now, but she should do well over the 2,200 meters this time.”

Regaleira

Yu Ota, assistant trainer
“She’s been training well, despite the track not being good, and has shown her usual fast closing speed. She has plenty of energy since returning to the stable, and her condition’s good. I think she’s in better shape than she was for her last race, when she was returning after a break. The goal is to get her to win a Grade 1 race, and the plan will be to get a good position going into the first corner of the race, and I’m sure the jockey (Christophe Lemaire) will do his best with this.”

Christophe Lemaire, jockey
“Her weak point is her start, so I’d like to get a better early position this time and hope things go smoothly. She has great closing speed and she should be able to win another Grade 1 race. She’s been a bit unlucky, with things like the slow pace in the Derby, and the widest gate in the Rose Stakes, so I’m hoping things go her way this time.”

Rouge Lignage

Yoshitada Munakata, trainer
“There’s no real change with her, and I’m pleased about that and the way she’s been training. It’ll be about her finding a good rhythm in the race over the longer trip, and getting her to settle without pulling. She’s not a fast starter, and I wouldn’t want her to be rushed early in the race, so the race plan will be the same as usual, and we’ll just have to see how she does.”

Saliera

Sakae Kunieda, trainer
“She’s bigger now, and I’ve been thinking about getting a bit more out of her in training. She’s worked on the uphill, chasing the horse in front of her. She’s about the same as usual.”

Katsumi Suzuki, assistant trainer
“There’s no big change with her since she has returned to the stable. She’s trained with a horse either side of her, and has looked a lot sharper than before. In recent races, she’s just lacked a little, but she did well in this race last year, showing that it’s a race that suits her. I think with the work we’ve given her before this race, she can put in a better run here.”

Scintillation

Masakazu Ikegami, trainer
“She’s kept her condition, and has even become bigger, with no bad reactions from her racing now. She seems more balanced, and is a lot stronger now, so even if the ground is a bit off, that shouldn’t be a problem. It’ll be her first time to race over 2,200 meters, and among the other Grade 1 horses, it won’t be easy. However, she’s an easy horse to control, and I think if she gets to run well, she’ll have something left at the end to put in a good finish in the race.”

Shinryokuka

Masahiro Takeuchi, trainer
“She’s done some good training with other horses, and has also run solo in a relaxed manner, even when the training track hasn’t been in good condition. She’s a lot stronger now, and doesn’t lack power like she used to. It was good to see her run much better in her last race, and her condition keeps improving. She should run well this time, even if the ground comes up softer on the day of the race.”

Hatsuya Kowata, jockey
“She’s developed well, particularly mentally, and it’s good to see her becoming a lot better at racing. It was a great win for her in her last race.”

Stunning Rose

Tomokazu Takano, trainer
“She’s returned to the stable with a lot of energy, and is ready to take on this next race. She seems switched on, and her times have been good in training, without overdoing things with her. I thought in her last race, she was starting to find her old form, and she is a Grade 1 winner after all. I’m hoping she’ll show her best this time.”

Cristian Demuro, jockey
“It feels like she really wants to run. She didn’t run badly in her last race, and I think she can do better than that. She must have a good chance here, and I’ll decide on tactics once the draw comes out.”

Wholeness

Nobuyuki Tashiro, assistant trainer
“She’s been at the stable since her last race, but she’s remained in good shape, and with just a short time between runs, she’s done enough. We’ve taken care to bring her along in the right way, and mentally and physically she’s developed nicely. She’s won on left-handed tracks, but has also run well right-handed, when finishing third in a graded race, and it’ll be better for her this time on the outer course. She’ll be up against Grade 1 opponents this time, but I’ll look forward to how she runs in the race.”

Ryusei Sakai, jockey
“Her reactions are good and she moves well, particularly at the finish of her work. She’s an easy horse to control.”