Champagne Color

Tsuyoshi Tanaka, trainer
“I think he’s changed with the work we’ve given him. He won the NHK Mile Cup in 2023, and finished sixth in the Yasuda Kinen last year. He also finished fourth in the Tokyo Shimbun Hai this year, just 0.1 seconds off the winner, so you have to think his performances at Tokyo are pretty good. We’ve got him to the point where he doesn’t have to go off in front. Right now, the outside looks good at Tokyo, so I think he’ll be able to put in a good run, with the way that he can finish. Rain would help his chances, and we’ll rely on jockey Yasunari Iwata to do his best.”

Kenta Fujino, trainer
“He’s been moving well, and if things stay the same with him, he’ll go to the race in good shape. There’s a good feeling about him, and everything’s been as expected. I’d always thought 9-10 furlongs would be ideal for him, but (two races back, winning the Osakajo Stakes over the mile, jockey) Mirai Iwata said ‘Mile should be OK’ so that was something new we got out of the race. I wonder how the time will be this time, but I’ll look forward to him producing his best again this time too.”

Gaia Force

Haruki Sugiyama, trainer
“He’s worked well on the uphill, with a final furlong time of just over 11 seconds. With his fast work, I think he will have done enough. It was a tight rotation with Hong Kong last year, but this year it’s better after his trip to Dubai. It’ll be his fourth time to take on this race, and the Tokyo mile suits him with his big stride. He did finish second last year. It’ll be the third time for the jockey to ride him, so he knows the horse, and together I think they can do well.”

Takeshi Yokoyama, jockey
“Since returning from Dubai, he’s been the same as always back in Japan, and mentally he’s very stable. It’ll be his fourth time in this race, and he always does a good job. He’s shown his good footwork in training, and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.”

Lebensstil

Hiroyasu Tanaka, trainer
“He’s in good condition and there was very little damage after his last race. His times have been quite fast in training, but that’s fine, and we’ve been trying him in training so that he’ll get the mile alright. He’s a horse that runs well, and it’s good that he has won races at Tokyo.”

Hiroyuki Yamazaki, assistant trainer
“We were a little surprised by his result last time, and it looked as if the 2,000 meters was a bit long, but he was taking on some top-class horses. At his age now, he’s doing things well, and we’re not discouraged by anything. He hasn’t had a result in a Grade 1 race, but comparing things with the Osaka Hai, I think he can do his best again among the horses in this field.”

Long Run

Ryota Kojima, assistant trainer
“He hasn’t looked quite so sharp since returning from the farm, so he’s needed to do a bit of work. The jockey marked a fair time with him just recently, so I hope that will bring the horse along nicely. The main thing will be to get him to the race without any problems.”

Francisco Goncalves, jockey
“He’s moved well in training, and the Tokyo track should suit his big stride. He’s a horse with ability, and the kickback in training hasn’t worried him.”

Luxor Cafe

Noriyuki Hori, trainer
“There’s no tiredness about him since he came back from overseas. He’s worked solo recently, but has picked up speed well quite naturally, and his breathing is good. After that training, he weighed 547 kg. It’ll be his first time to race on turf, and I want to try him on the surface to see how he does.”

Off Trail

Keiji Yoshimura, trainer
“He’s worked over a distance with the jockey, and has had his usual training pattern, which has been enough. His times have been average, but we haven’t pushed him too hard. He hasn’t really had results at Tokyo, and two starts ago in the Tokyo Shimbun Hai, he didn’t really get to use his power and couldn’t do well. This time I hope he can run a better race, finding a good rhythm, and then getting a good finish in.”

Panja Tower

Shinsuke Hashiguchi, trainer
“He’s worked with a couple of other horses on the woodchip course under the race jockey Kohei Matsuyama, who says the horse is better than he was for his last race. Even though he won the NHK Mile Cup, a mile might not be his best distance. Looking at him, he looks like a horse that can run well over short distances. Having said that, if he finds a good rhythm in the first half of the race, he can finish off well.”

Kohei Matsuyama, jockey
“He has more of a look of a sprinter now. The horse isn’t tired, and everything’s been as usual with him. His responses are good, and there shouldn’t be a problem at Tokyo.”

Sakura Toujours

Noriyuki Hori, trainer
“With some fast work working solo, without pushing him too much, it seems like he’s doing well. He recently weighed 504 kg. Things didn’t go so smoothly last time on dirt, so we’re switching him back to turf, and hope that he can get into the flow of the race better.”

Seiun Hades

Shinsuke Hashiguchi, trainer
“He’s been moving well enough recently in training. Racing left-handed, and the long straight at Tokyo look good for him, and I think he can respond well over 1,600 meters. I’m not worried about the time the race is run in. It’s best if he gets some cover, and I’m looking forward to what he might be able to do here.”

Hideaki Miyuki, jockey
“He’s in good shape and has done well up against his training partner. I think the mile’s good for him, and I’m looking forward to the race.”

Sirius Colt

Katsuharu Tanaka, trainer
“There’s a good feeling about him. I’m pleased that his condition looks like it is very good. The Tokyo track’s not bad for him, and some cut in the ground would help him.”

Sixpence

Hiroyasu Tanaka, trainer
“He did better than I thought last time, considering his draw and the way the race was run. I think his condition is a bit better now, and that includes his balance. Hopefully things stay that way up to the race.”

Hiroyuki Yamazaki, assistant trainer
“There are no concerns about his legs, and he doesn’t lean so much now, so he’s doing things smoothly. Last time he was able to get in behind a wall of horses and run patiently. Now that he’s become easier to ride, I want him to do his best.”

Stellenbosch

Keisuke Miyata, trainer
“She’s in good condition and has been moving very well, stretching out. She has a lot of energy and uses her body well. This should make things good for the race. It’s been a while since she’s run over a mile, and things might get a bit busy for her, but I think she can find a good rhythm and respond well. I don’t think there’s so much in it between her and the other horses, so I expect her to put in a good run.”

Suzu Khalom

Kazuya Makita, trainer
“He moved well when chasing down another horse in training. We’ve changed the way that he races regarding the position he takes up, and he has run at Tokyo before. I don’t think the distance is a problem. The ground was a bit off in his last race, but more rain and softer ground would definitely improve his chances, even among the strong horses here. He should go to the race in good condition.”

Takashi Fujikake, jockey
“He’s finished off his work well, and his balance is good. Up to now, he’s done a lot better than I thought he could.”

Trovatore

Yuichi Shikato, trainer
“His times have been good enough and he’s had some good practice in training, so things are as expected with him, and he’s picked up speed well. His last race was better than I expected. He pulled quite hard last year and didn’t get such good results, so we tried him on dirt, and he’s gained experience. He’s better mentally, and Christophe Lemaire has advised well about the horse. With these things in mind, I think he can run better than he did last year. Firm ground would be good.”

Water Licht

Mamoru Ishibashi, trainer
“He had a break at the farm and returned recently. He’s refreshed, and they did a good job at the farm. He’s a strong horse, and he’s been moving well on the woodchip course with stablemate Meisho Tabaru. The pace didn’t suit him last time, and it possibly contributed to his defeat, even though his final three-furlong time was about his usual, 33.2 seconds. The pace hasn’t been strong in his recent races, so I hope things will plan out better, so that he can get his good closing finish in.”

World’s End

Manabu Ikezoe, trainer
“His workload has been good, training left-handed, and he seems to improve the more he runs. There hasn’t been long between races this time, and we’ve just taken it easy with him. He is a horse that has won over a mile before, and I don’t think he has to lead in a race. If another horse goes on, he’s able to slot in behind somewhere. Other than that, it’ll depend on the draw and the way he’s ridden.”