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Four year old Indy Champ won Sunday's Mile Championship at Kyoto.

Sunday's Mile Championship (Grade 1) at Kyoto was won convincingly by 4-year-old colt Indy Champ, a son of Stay Gold. The Hidetaka Otonashi-trained entire defeated favourite Danon Premium by a length and a half with Persian Knight in third. 

The winner broke smoothly and hugged the rails in fifth, eyeing Danon Premium on the outside. Turning the last corner two wide, the winner and runner-up duelled strongly to nail the frontrunner 200 metres out, from where the Stay Gold colt unleashed a powerful kick and pulled away, leaving the race favorite behind for his second Grade 1 title. 

 "I was asked to ride at short notice (in place of regular rider Yuichi Fukunaga who is under suspension) but wanted to deliver a good result since the colt was a Yasuda Kinen champion. I was told that he is a bit unstable at the start but he broke well and we were able to race in good position while eyeing Danon Premium. He responded really well when asked at the lane," said winning jockey Kenichi Ikezoe.

Owned by Silk Racing and bred by Northern Racing, Indy Champ has won seven of his 12 career starts will head now for the Kong Kong Mile (Group 1) at Sha Tin on 8 December.