G3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai preview by our original AI
Friday, 07 February, 2025 23:37
Bond Girl (Photo: Yuki Shimono)
This weekend's racing features two graded stakes including the G3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai at Tokyo Racecourse. This article will introduce three notable runners in the Tokyo Shimbun Hai chosen by our original AI.
Bond Girl has a record of one win, four runner-up finishes, and one third-place finish from seven starts. She only finished out of the money in the G1 NHK Mile Cup, where she suffered significant interference in the stretch. In races where she has shown her true ability, she has never finished worse than third. Though her sole victory came in a newcomers' race, she has repeatedly performed well in graded stakes, proving her high level of ability.
Since last summer, she has been tested over distances of 1,800 meters and beyond with the G1 Shuka Sho in mind. However, with her major spring target being the G1 Victoria Mile, she returns to 1,600 meters to start her campaign this year, a distance that better suits her natural aptitude. Considering her past performances and pedigree, the cutback in distance should be a positive factor. She has already shown strong form at Tokyo Racecourse over 1,600 meters, winning her newcomers' race and finishing second in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup. This could be her best chance yet to claim her first graded stakes victory.
Sakura Toujours secured his first graded stakes victory in last year's Tokyo Shimbun Hai, staying close to the pace before finding a gap on the inside in the stretch and drawing clear. In his most recent outing in the G3 Kyoto Kimpai, he adopted a different strategy, settling back in the field and weaving through traffic to launch a late rally, securing his second graded stakes win.
Both victories came under Rachel King, who is set to ride him again in this year's Tokyo Shimbun Hai. King made an immediate impact in Japan last year, securing 16 wins in her debut short-term stint. This year, she has continued to impress, collecting seven wins by the end of January. Last weekend, she guided a longshot to a third-place finish in the G3 Negishi Stakes. Expectations are high for her to deliver another strong ride in this weekend's race.
Off Trail broke through for his first graded stakes win last June with a powerful late charge in the G3 Radio NIKKEI Sho. He struggled in his next start, finishing 12th in the G2 Mainichi Okan due to a slow early pace. However, he rebounded strongly in his last two outings, finishing second in the G2 Swan Stakes and third in the G2 Hanshin Cup, showing his ability to compete at the graded stakes level.
His performance in the Hanshin Cup was particularly impressive given the high quality of the field. The winner, Namura Clair, is a two-time G1 runner-up. The runner-up, Mad Cool, as well as fourth-place finisher Serifos and fifth-place finisher Mama Cocha, are all G1 winners. To finish third against such a strong group speaks volumes about Off Trail's ability. If the race unfolds in a way that suits his late-running style, he could be a major contender once again.
Bond Girl has a record of one win, four runner-up finishes, and one third-place finish from seven starts. She only finished out of the money in the G1 NHK Mile Cup, where she suffered significant interference in the stretch. In races where she has shown her true ability, she has never finished worse than third. Though her sole victory came in a newcomers' race, she has repeatedly performed well in graded stakes, proving her high level of ability.
Since last summer, she has been tested over distances of 1,800 meters and beyond with the G1 Shuka Sho in mind. However, with her major spring target being the G1 Victoria Mile, she returns to 1,600 meters to start her campaign this year, a distance that better suits her natural aptitude. Considering her past performances and pedigree, the cutback in distance should be a positive factor. She has already shown strong form at Tokyo Racecourse over 1,600 meters, winning her newcomers' race and finishing second in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup. This could be her best chance yet to claim her first graded stakes victory.
Sakura Toujours secured his first graded stakes victory in last year's Tokyo Shimbun Hai, staying close to the pace before finding a gap on the inside in the stretch and drawing clear. In his most recent outing in the G3 Kyoto Kimpai, he adopted a different strategy, settling back in the field and weaving through traffic to launch a late rally, securing his second graded stakes win.
Both victories came under Rachel King, who is set to ride him again in this year's Tokyo Shimbun Hai. King made an immediate impact in Japan last year, securing 16 wins in her debut short-term stint. This year, she has continued to impress, collecting seven wins by the end of January. Last weekend, she guided a longshot to a third-place finish in the G3 Negishi Stakes. Expectations are high for her to deliver another strong ride in this weekend's race.
Off Trail broke through for his first graded stakes win last June with a powerful late charge in the G3 Radio NIKKEI Sho. He struggled in his next start, finishing 12th in the G2 Mainichi Okan due to a slow early pace. However, he rebounded strongly in his last two outings, finishing second in the G2 Swan Stakes and third in the G2 Hanshin Cup, showing his ability to compete at the graded stakes level.
His performance in the Hanshin Cup was particularly impressive given the high quality of the field. The winner, Namura Clair, is a two-time G1 runner-up. The runner-up, Mad Cool, as well as fourth-place finisher Serifos and fifth-place finisher Mama Cocha, are all G1 winners. To finish third against such a strong group speaks volumes about Off Trail's ability. If the race unfolds in a way that suits his late-running style, he could be a major contender once again.