Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in overseas international racing. Bringing with him a wealth of racing knowledge, Simon is the host and race caller for the overseas simulcast programme since 2008/09 season. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Banker’, ‘Racing Horizon’ and ‘Horse Racing – Results’.

Chukyo Racecourse – Track Analysis (Takamatsunomiya Kinen):

Though smaller in acreage than the Tokyo Racecourse, the left-handed Chukyo Racecourse is still one of the major venues under the Japan Racing Association, particularly so with a new look after the refurbishment project from a few years back. The turf track measures 1700m in circumference, with a 412m homestretch running from the last turn to the finish.

With its wicked corners as compared to Tokyo, and only a 300m stampede from the 1200m start to the first turn, early positioning in the featured Takamatsunomiya Kinen – with usually an over-subscribed field – is of pivotal importance from a tactical perspective. Though horses breaking from outside post positions will be slightly disadvantaged, inside-drawn runners with less frontal speed would also get boxed in upon turning for home. Moreover, the Chukyo homestretch, likewise to its Tokyo counterpart, grades uphill towards the finish, and is quite a challenge for the front-runners that attempt to preserve the lead every step of the way. In all, a 1200m trip at Chukyo generally favours prominently-placed runners or horses sitting just off the pace.

In the 2018 running of the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, the eventual tierce – FINE NEEDLE, LET’S GO DONKI and NAC VENUS – were all drafting right behind the early speed. While LET’S GO DONKI took a ground-saving trip along the rail, surged to the front some 300m from home, and almost delivered, FINE NEEDLE and NAC VENUS launched their bids in tandem from out wide down the stretch, and FINE NEEDLE managed to nail LET’S GO DONKI in the shadow of the wire for a thrilling finish.

With continued precipitation in the Nagoya area that would fade by mid-week, good to firm turf will hopefully return just in time for this year’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen – and should the strip oblige as such, horses breaking from middle or inside post positions and laying closer to the speed could be very legit in contention.

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