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that’s the second successive G1 he’s taken in runaway fashion: video link to 2015 Cup race at the HK International meeting here:
http://racing.hkjc.com/racing/Info/Meeting/Results/English/Local/20151213/ST/8
JRA report for yesterday:
>>A Shin Hikari, which shocked the global racing scene with his runaway victory in the Hong Kong Cup last December, was at his best again on Tuesday at Chantilly Racecourse, when he blitzed past his rivals for an eye-opening, 10-length victory in the Grade 1 Prix d’Ispahan.
Under the guidance of Yutaka Take, A Shin Hikari defeated a 9-horse field, which included 2015 French Derby winner New Bay and Prix Ganay winner Dariyan. Dariyan finished 10 lengths behind A Shin Hikari in second, followed by Prix Ganay runner-up Silverwave. A Shin Hikari was quick out of the gates, but yielded his normal front position to Vadamos and Take settled his horse nicely in second. With not much movement of the pack during the trip, A Shin Hikari caught Vadamos as they turned for home and continued to stretch his lead, not allowing any of his rivals to become a threat in the final two furlongs. Although the soft ground was a bit of a concern for the connections before the race, A Shin Hikari completed the 1,800-meter race in 1 minute, 53.29 seconds.
The win comes after a six-month layoff after the Hong Kong Cup win for the 5-year-old horse by Deep Impact out of the Storm Cat mare Catalina, improving his overall record to 9 wins from 11 starts.
“I had imagined he would jump to the front and lead the race, so I was surprised,” said trainer Masanori Haraguchi. “But it was good judgement by Yutaka to run him a bit away from the rail where the ground was not as bad. It was great to see that he could settle and race from second place, as well as win with that style. We can now proudly hold our heads high and go to England for the Royal Ascot meeting.”
“It was a great performance against a great field,” Take said. “I’m also glad that a Deep Impact foal was able to win a French Grade 1 race. The horse’s condition was very good and he was actually more relaxed than he was back home. I thought he would want to take the lead after the start, but because this was his first time running this racecourse, he was a bit cautious and that may be the reason why he settled so nicely. His reaction at the final straight was excellent. We gained a lot from this race, and I’m looking forward to his next outing in England. The Chantilly ground seems to have suit his form, so my personal take is that I’d like to return here again in the fall with him.”
A Shin Hikari is scheduled to run next in the Grade 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 15. <<
An easy winner but as Tony Calvin pointed out tonight it appears for some reason they have added around 3 lengths to the winning margin.
what was Calvin’s point ? UK Racing Post race record has it as 10 lengths:
horse was rated 123 internationally after his HK run:
http://www.horseracingintfed.com/resources/WTRRankings/2015_LWBRRa.aspneed to wait to after 9 Jun to see how this week’s run will be rated.
A Shin Hikari has been raised to 132 by the Racing Post.
Runner up Dariyan is rated 117 on the official scale and would seem a decent yardstick.
Dariyan ran pretty much to his previous form with the third horse Silverwave and was beaten much further than he was when meeting Postponed.
The heavy ground always raises doubts for me but I would say a mark of 130 would be in the right ball park area for A Shin Hikari on that latest run. Whether he can back it up is now the question but I would be wary of writing him off as a fluke.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
What did surprise me was the low speed figure for the race, myself 87 and Dave Edwards 90, with a RPR of 132 I would have expected a speed figure of 110+.
I had the going allowance on the day as good to soft.
This was one of those rare races where the rest of the field under performed by 30lbs+, A Shin Hikari will be a false favourite at Ascot.
Word of warning, never take the going description given out by the Racing Post as being accurate, the official going description from the course was collant (soft), every time they race at Auteuil they always have the going as very soft even when the going is good to firm.
Did you know that Paris Turf reported that the rails “lice” were moved 6 metres on the day…
Mike.
As far as I can recall this is the first Japanese runner to actually win a race in France. I’ve been backing them for years, so I got a bit back at last.
As far as I can recall this is the first Japanese runner to actually win a race in France. I’ve been backing them for years, so I got a bit back at last.
Did you miss out on Seeking The Pearl under the same jockey (Take) when she won the Prix Maurice De Gheest?
Orfevre won the Prix Foy prior to each of his Arc seconds in 2012 and 2013 (albeit under Soumillon).
Japanese horse are 1 for 21 in European Group 1’s since 2005.
UK Group 1’s 0-5. Finishing positions 2/3/6/8/8
I have plenty of respect for Mike’s opinions and his times, but I think it can be dangerous to assume that in any race the majority of the field ran well below form. It raises that old chestnut, had the winner not run, would ‘everything ran below form’ still be a theory? He won with plenty in hand, sauntering past the leader with ears pricked and taking a bit of pulling up.
I see that A Shin Hikari’s previous victory in the Hong Kong Cup where he set and sustained ‘a brutal pace’ was also seen as a ‘shock’. The wily Take was superb in this, not least in getting a lovely breather in at halfway when the rest were struggling just to keep up.
Another huge plus is that international travel obviously does not bother the horse. He could be the star of the Royal meeting.
Japanese horse are 1 for 21 in European Group 1’s since 2005.
the significance being that the 1 was this horse, this week ;o)
Yes Wit, it was certainly a taking performance and definitely something to look forward to at Royal Ascot. Can see the Japanese population of London, smashing him up on The Tote.
I was just looking up Take’s last ride in a Group 1 in the UK. Turns out it was on Zenno Rob Roy in the 2005 International. He got a good dose of “foreign jockey” treatment for that ride. “Weak as pizz”, was the cry…
He has a good record on the favs he’s ridden in the UK though. Four wins from seven rides.
international rating of 129:
http://www.horseracingintfed.com/resources/WTRRankings/LWBRR.asp?batch=31
interested to see what happens at Ascot on Wednesday.
I have been all over this very talented Japanese horse like the proverbial rash . My nap of the meeting and I will be sorely disappointed if he loses – and somewhat out of pocket .
But hey , it’s Royal Ascot and all race fans and punters should be optimistic and cheerful .
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