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An all-expenses paid berth in the Breeders Cup Turf could be the reward for the winner of the 60th running of the Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin on Sunday.

Run over 2200m, the $US2.8 million event is the last G1 of the Japanese season before the next G1 in at the end of September.

Although no winner of the race has ever competed at the Breeders' Cup the Takarazuka Kinen's roll of honour features such equine luminaries as TM Opera O and Deep Impact.

This year's field of 12 features features six G1 winers including several classic winners. It is one of the two 'All-Star' races on the Japanese calendar alongside the Arima Kinen in December where the majority of the field is composed of horses voted for by public ballot.

Champion mare Almond Eye is an absentee after a narrow defeat in the Yasuda Kinen but Rey De Oro, Kiseki and Al Ain are all present in an open-looking contest.

Last year's Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) victor Rey De Oro (Kazuo Fujisawa/Christophe Lemaire) is on a recovery mission after another disappointing effort in Dubai where he was well adrift of Old Persian in the Sheema Classic.

He had several rivals behind him in last year's Tenno Sho (Autumn) and can be expected to give a truer impression of his abilities back on home turf.

Old rival Suave Richard (Yasushi Shono/Mirco Demuro), second to Rey De Oro in the 2017 Japanese Derby was well in front of that opponent when third in the Shema Classic in Dubai.

Al Ain (Yasutoshi Ikee/Yuichi Kitamura) is also likely to have his supporters after a surprise success in the G1 Osaka Hai over 2000m at Hanshin on March 31.

That was his first win since the G1 Satsuki Sho (2000 Guineas) in 2017 with Kiseki (Katsuhiko Sumii/Yuga Kawada) finishing a neck second.

Kiseki won the G1 Kikuka Sho (St Leger) as a 3YO but has yet to repeat that success while usually hitting the money including his second to Almond Eye in the G1 Japan Cup.

Others to consider include Lys Gracieux, the only female in the line-up.

She was second in the G1 Hong Kong Vase after landing the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup over this distance in Tokyo and has Australian rider Damian Lane in the saddle.

Injury has compromised Makahiki's career since his victory three years ago in the Tokyo Yushun while Etario has form to suggest he can be a force in this grade.