The heavy favourite Namura Clair (5-year-old mare) partnered with jockey Christophe Lemaire for the first time, and stormed home with a powerful outside run to capture the G2 Hanshin Cup, marking her fifth graded stakes win and first since the Keeneland Cup last year.

The race began with Asakara King setting a strong pace upfront. Namura Clair settled mid-pack around the 13th position, conserving energy on the outside. Lemaire guided her decisively to the far outside as the field fanned out in the stretch. Displaying a turn of foot that was simply in a class of its own, she surged past the competition, leaving the battle for second far behind. Mad Cool, a 6th favourite, finished second, followed by Off Trail, the 9th favourite, in third. The trifecta payout was a lucrative 65,240 JPY.

Lemaire reflected on their debut success, saying, "She showed an impressive burst of speed. Although she felt good, she leaned slightly inward on the right-handed turn. In the stretch, she responded brilliantly once I guided her outside."

Looking ahead to her 6-year-old season, Lemaire expressed high hopes for Namura Clair. "She undoubtedly has the ability. She consistently delivers strong results in graded-stakes races. I believe she has what it takes to win a G1, and I'm looking forward to it."

On Sunday, Lemaire teams up with Urban Chic in the G1 Arima Kinen, riding high on the momentum of Saturday's success. He shared a message with fans, "Tomorrow is the Arima Kinen. Please continue to support us!"