Japan Expert - Naohiro Goda

Naohiro is a leading journalist and commentator in Japan with regular television shows on networks such as NHK Network and Green Channel. He is a regular contributor for newspapers, magazines and websites including Sports Nippon, Weekly Gallop, and netkeiba.com. He also operates a bloodstock business marketing firm. Naohiro is a frequent international racing traveler and a regular visitor to the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin.

Overseas Expert Column for Tenno Sho Autumn (Naohiro Goda)

S2-1 Tenno Sho Autumn

‘Tenno’ means Japanese Emperor. While the purse is less than the Japan Cup and Arima Kinen, Tenno Sho Autumn is still rated the most prestigious race for many horsemen in Japan, as the Emperor’s Plate is awarded to the winning owner.

I believe the Emperor’s Plate will go to the representative of the Carrot Club, the racing syndication which owns STAPHANOS, winner of the G3 Fuji Stakes at Tokyo in 2014, and runner-up to BLAZING SPEED in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in HK earlier this year.

STAPHANOS was well beaten in the G2 Mainichi Okan last time, but I am not worried about that poor performance, as he needed the race to bring him to peak fitness. For example, he was 4th in the G2 St. Lite Kinen, after a four months break, prior to winning the G3 Fuji Stakes last autumn, and was only 3rd in the G2 Nakayama Kinen, again after having a four months break, prior to finishing second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. The G2 Mainichi Okan on 11th October was his first start since the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in April, and I am sure he will be a much better horse this coming Sunday. If he reproduces his Queen Elizabeth II Cup form, in which he finished ahead of CRITERION and DESIGN ON ROME, I believe he has good chance to win the title. It is an encouraging factor that Keita Tosaki, current leading jockey in the Tokyo region, has been booked to ride him.

The principle threat to STAPHANOS is LOVELY DAY, who has already collected five Graded Stakes, including the G1 Takarazuka Kinen, so far this year. There is a slight concern about LOVELY DAY, as he seems to prefer going clockwise. He has 7 wins from 16 starts at clockwise tracks, while he has only one success from 8 starts at anticlockwise tracks. It is also a blow for LOVELY DAY that regular pilot Yuga Kawada cannot ride him on Sunday, due to suspension.

The horse who loves the anticlockwise track at Tokyo is SPIELBERG, who has won 6 races – including this race 12 months ago – from 12 starts at Tokyo. SPIELBERG travelled to the UK to run the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Although he only finished sixth, I believe that was a fair effort, as it was a very strong race. For example, CANNOCK CHASE, who finished seventh in that race, subsequently won the G1 Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine earlier this month.

Another horse, whom we have to pay attention to, is A SHIN HIKARI, the only horse who has the speed to control the tempo of the race from the front. He will be ridden by Yutaka Take, a super jockey who has excellent skills to make good use of his tactical speed.

My fifth choice is SATONO CROWN. This is obviously a tough challenge for the three-year-old, as this will be the first time for him to compete against older horses, and this will be his first start since the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in May. However, I regard his third place in the Derby highly, because I reckon the standard of this year’s three-year-olds are high. I regard SATONO CROWN as one of the most talented horse in the sophomore generation in Japan.



SELECTIONS: 14. STAPHANOS, 8. LOVELY DAY, 17. SPIELBERG, 9. A SHIN HIKARI & 3. SATONO CROWN

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