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Regaleira Captures Third G1 Title in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup with Record Time

Race favorite Regaleira claimed her third G1 victory in this year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup, shaving 0.1 second off the record time to set a new record of 2:11.0, to avenge her fifth-place finish in this race last year. The Suave Richard filly registered her first G1 title in the Hopeful Stakes (G1, 2,000m) as a two-year-old and added another G1 victory in the year-end Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m) as a three-year-old but then sustained a chip fracture in her right foreleg. The four-year-old bay returned to racing in this year’s Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m) in June where she was well defeated to 11th, but regained her form to win her latest start, the All Comers (G2, 2,200m) on September 21. Trainer Tetsuya Kimura won his 14th JRA-G1 title following his Tenno Sho (Spring) title with Redentor this year and jockey Keita Tosaki also registered his 14th JRA-G1 victory, his first since last year’s Arima Kinen win with this filly.

Breaking smoothly from stall seven, Regaleira traveled wide in mid-division, around 10-11th from the front. The Suave Richard filly navigated the final turns wide before unleashing a powerful charge in the final stretch with the tied fastest closing speed, nailing the front 50 meters out and easily pulling away for a 1-3/4-length victory with record time.

“I’m truly delighted to have won with Regaleira again. I’m both happy and relieved that we were able to live up to everyone’s expectations as the race favorite. The stable staff told me how good her condition was, and I could feel it too when I rode her. She was calm during the post parade and jumped out of the gate on her own. The condition of the inner track wasn’t very good, so I made sure that we didn’t get stuck there. She responded well at the stretch. I’m confident that she’ll do even better from here,” commented Keita Tosaki.

Fourth choice Paradis Reine, breaking alertly from the innermost stall, hugged the rails in 6-7th, steered to the outside for a clear path entering the lane and overtook the frontrunner 200 meters out to assume command but was unable to hold off the fast-closing Regaleira and finish second.

Unhurried second from the rear, ninth choice Lilac, runner-up of the 2022 edition of this race, angled out for the stretch run to launch the tied-fastest late drive and, while failing to threaten the top two finishers, pinned Lynx Tip just before the wire to secure third place by a head.

Other Horses:
4th: (16) Lynx Tip—ran in 6th early, gradually advanced to enter lane in good striking position, launched bid but was no match for winner and denied third place by Lilac just before wire
5th: (13) Coconuts Brown—was off slow, raced wide around 12th, showed effort on outer stretch
6th: (10) Sekitoba East—tracked leaders around 3rd, rallied for lead at one point, weakened in last 100m
7th: (5) Safira—settled around 10th, closed in on leaders until 100m out
8th: (8) Vermicelles—sat around 13th, switched to outside to pass tired rivals at stretch
9th: (11) Verehrung—ran around 4th early, gradually dropped position, showed effort until 100m out
10th: (2) Stellenbosch—saved ground around 9th, lost balance a bit before final corner, lacked needed kick
11th: (9) Bond Girl—positioned around 13th, failed to respond
12th: (6) Erika Express—set pace, faded after 200m pole
13th: (3) Shinryokuka—chased pace in second, sustained bid until final corner
14th: (14) Kelly Fled Ask—raced around 4th, dropped back after final corner
15th: (4) Kana Tape—traveled around 8th, gradually shifted out, showed little at stretch
16th: (15) Aurora X—trailed in rear, circled wide, no factor

THE 50TH QUEEN ELIZABETH II CUP (G1) – Japan Autumn International –
3-year-olds & up, Fillies & Mares, 2,200 meters (about 11 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, November 16, 2025       Kyoto Racecourse         11th Race       Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 283,100,000 (about US$ 1,804,000 <US$1=¥157>)
3-y-o: 54kg (about 119 lbs), 4-y-o & up: 56kg (about 123-124 lbs),
2kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2022
Course Record: 2:09.7               Race Record: 2:11.0 [Regaleira (JPN, by Suave Richard), 2025]
Safety factor: 18 runners            Going: Good to Firm      Weather: Fine

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 20,072,266,900       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 29,197,398,200       Attendance: 39,842

Winner= 11 starts: 5 wins & 1 third / Added & stakes money: ¥ 133,486,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 835,637,000

* Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1)

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup was established in 1976 to facilitate friendly relations between Japan and England, in commemoration of Her Excellency’s visit to Japan in 1975. The race initially started as a 2,400-meter race and the last leg of the “Triple Crown for three-year-old fillies,” but became a 2,200-meter race for fillies and mares of three-year-old and up from 1996. The race was temporarily held at Hanshin Racecourse between 2020 and 2022 due to the renovation of Kyoto Racecourse.
Tigertail (FR, by Priolo) and Ana Marie (FR, by Anabaa) were the first two foreign contestants to run in 2003—four years after its designation as an international event in 1999—and finished third and eighth, respectively. Shalanaya (IRE, by Lomitas) finished fourth in 2009 before Edward Dunlop-trained Snow Fairy (IRE, by Intikhab) became the first foreign runner to win the race in 2010 and then defended the title again in 2011.
With last year’s champion Stunning Rose (JPN, by King Kamehameha) retired, this year’s edition focused on two-time G1 winner Regaleira who came off a win in the All Comers (G2, 2,200m; Sep.21). Another four-year-old G1 victor Stellenbosch aimed to bounce back from a disappointing 15th in the Sapporo Kinen (G2, 2,000m; Aug.17) where Coconuts Brown was second against opposite gender. Notable contenders who came off the Ireland Trophy (G2, 1,800m; Oct.12) were Kana Tape (3rd), Lilac (4th), Bond Girl (9th) and Sekitoba East (10th). The field also included Aurora X, winner of the Cassiopeia Stakes (Listed, 1,800m; Oct.25) as well as Lynx Tip, third-place finisher of the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m) and Erika Express and Paradis Reine who came off a second and a third, respectively, in the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m; Oct.19), the last jewel of the fillies’ Triple Crown.