Almond Eye smashes track record to land Japan Cup in Tokyo

The three-year-old filly, ridden by Christophe Lemaire and trained by Sakae Kunieda, registered a two-length victory over front-runner and runner-up Kiseki.

The 38th running of the prestigious Grade 1 race saw 14 horses come forward for the contest run over 2400 metres at Tokyo’s left-handed course. After winning her previous five races including the Japanese 1,000 Guineas, Japanese Oaks and the Shuka Sho. Almond Eye was sent off as a clear race favourite and she more than lived up to her billing.

Kiseki took up the running shortly after the start and the pack had settled into a good pace, but Almond Eye and Christophe Lemaire travelled well in a handy position. Having waited patiently for most of the race, Lemaire and Almond Eye seized their chance and quickened well to go in front with 200 metres to go, a position they were never going to let go off. The winner crossed the line stopping the clock at two minutes 20.6 seconds, in a time 1.5 seconds faster than the previous record set by Alkaased in 2005. Suave Richard came home in third place three and a half lengths adrift of Kiseki in second, while last year’s winner Cheval Grand finished fourth.

The victory was so impressive that it raised hopes Almond Eye can finally break Japan’s hoodoo in next year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with the intriguing prospect of going head-to-head with Enable at Longchamp.

Speaking afterwards, winning trainer Kunieda said: “I had every confidence in her potential and she was in great form coming into the race.
Winning this gives her various options to choose from, including an overseas challenge that will most certainly be expected of her, although details will have to be discussed with the owners.”

Lemaire said: “She is excellent. It was a strong pace but she relaxed well. I knew Kiseki would finish strongly so I waited until the 300-metre mark to move past him. We will have to consider next year’s Arc.”

Thundering Blue, who represented David Menuisier, and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Capri both raced towards the rear and never threatened to make an impact. Menuisier said: “I thought the ground was too quick and he was a bit too tense before the race in the paddock.”