Yamanin Ours, entered in the G3 Procyon Stakes, made a devastatingly impressive debut two years ago in Kokura, winning by a ridiculous margin of 4.3 seconds in a record time of 1:44.3. That form has since been franked by the runner-up, Goraiko, going on to win the Jpn3 JBC Nisai Yushun. After two years, Yamanin Ours returns to Kokura and is still undefeated in four starts.

"After the last race, he was sent back to Ritto Training Center with the G3 Heian Stakes, as his goal, but it took him a long time because of a broken hoof, and he couldn't make it in time, so I put him out to pasture. After returning to the stable, he started training and is doing well," explained Trainer Takashi Saito. This will be his first real race in six months since the Listed Miyabi Stakes, which was his first race at open class level. In a piece of work during his two-week training session on the Ritto hill course, he finished half a length ahead of Yamanin Sympa, his half-brother who ran in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen. "He has improved a lot, and I was able to work him the way I wanted to" trainer said.

He is a very big horse, he weighed 582 kg in his last race. His legs are easily stressed and he has been used carefully, running only four times in two years. Nevertheless, he has improved with each race, and now he is finally ready for the top stage. "He is a horse that lacks smoothness, but he is very capable," said trainer, who does not hide his high expectations. The second chapter of the monster's career is about to begin on the same Kokura dirt course where chapter one began.