3 minute read
The younger horses will be challenging the older ones and a young jockey will be challenging his father.
Yasunari Iwata has won three Japan Cups and this year his 20yo son Mirai will be riding in his first Japan Cup. Iwata senior will be on board You Can Smile and Iwata junior on Perform A Promise. This is the first time a father and son have competed against each other. We are reliably informed that there has been an uncle versus nephew and the Take brothers have competed against each other in the past but this is a first.
When it comes to the generations in the horse field we have Almond Eye, the Queen, being taken on by a prince and a princess. Almond Eye is retiring after this race and will be looking to improve on her incredible record of ten wins and three placings in 14 starts at the very top level. She has already won this race (2018) in course and race record time of 2.20.6. Last year they were plans for her to go to Hong Kong but unfortunately she had a temperature and didn't make it and then this year she was unable to defend her crown in the Dubai Turf when those races were cancelled.
The Prince is Contrail, a 3yo colt by Deep Impact out of an Unbridled Song mare, who this year won the Triple Crown and is unbeaten in his 7 races to date. He won one of these, the Derby, over this course and distance, in 2.24.1. His trainer Yahagi-sensei hasn't won a Japan Cup but he has a host of other trophies including the Cox Plate in his trophy cabinet.
The Princess is Daring Tact, by Epiphaneia out of a King Kamehamaka mare, who made history this year by not only winning the fillies' Triple Crown but being the first unbeaten horse to do so. She's a bit less experienced as this will be her 6th start but then that was the same start for Almond Eye in 2018. She also won over this trip on this track in winning the Oaks in 2.24.4.
Almond Eye had 53 kgs when she won as a 3yo, and that will be the same with Daring Tact. Contrail will carry 55 kg as will Almond Eye.
These three will no doubt be amongst the top picks for the race. We will mention some of the other runners when we get an indication of the market. At the moment it is 25/1 the field apart from those three.
