3 minute read

Almond Eye returned from her summer holidays with a stunning performance in the Tenno Sho (Autumn).

Under Christophe Lemaire she settled on the rail about 6 back while Aerolithe led the field along at a decent pace.  Once round into the straight a gap opened up on the rails and Lemaire needed only the slightest shake of the reins to get his mount through it and into the lead and as they passed the 200m marker she went to the lead and kept going, finishing 3 lengths ahead of Danon Premium and then a neck to Aerolithe, a neck to You Can Smile and a neck to Wagnerian.   Saturnalia, the second favourite, had been running near the front but ran out of steam as they came up the rise and finished sixth.  The time wasn't bad – just outside the record.  Christophe Lemaire remarked afterwards that it was a great thrill for him to have ridden the last winner of the Tenno Sho in the Heisei era and with the enthronement of the new Emperor earlier in the week he had ridden the first winner of the Reiwa era.