Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in pedigree and overseas international racing. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Horse Racing – Results’, ‘Simulcast Preview'’ and Simulcast oversea races.

Nakayama Racecourse – Track Analysis (Sprinters Stakes):

As a wickedly undulating course with its tight corners and short stretch runs, starters for the 1200m Sprinters Stakes will, immediately after the break, ramble downhill while bearing right for an extended 600m section over this clockwise Nakayama strip. Again, due to the sharpness of this first corner, outside-drawn runners will either be floated wide, or forced to be taken back and save ground. Coupled with an abbreviated stretch run, forwardly-placed horses that can snatch the rail early, or tracking two, three deep at most, certainly enjoy a tactical advantage.

Then, with the competition descending all the way until another taxing up-hill run with about 250m to go, front-runners do have their work cut out for them. That being said, as the final corner is once again quite sharp just before turning for home, deep closers may as well have to launch their bid from out wide, or simply get stuck in traffic with nowhere to go. Also, with merely 300m from the top of the stretch to the finish, horses from off the pace need to start making their moves from mid-way through the turn, or would leave themselves too much real estate to cover down the lane.

In all, a perfect 1200m turf trip at Nakayama would be some good early positioning, preferably from second through fifth – within striking distance – then ready to pounce in the final stages. Of one particular note, through the past ten editions of this G1 prize, 2015 champion STRAIGHT GIRL was the only winner found breaking from barrier one through three. In the 2019 running of this G1 contest, eventual winner TOWER OF LONDON, defying a firm, speed-conductive strip, was held back early before his taking the overland route, overhauling the entire field with a strong rally from out wide to prevail, whereas second-best MOZU SUPERFLARE almost managed to make all the running – until the final strides, and DANON SMASH, tracking TOWER OF LONDON throughout, missed the first-over run, and was late to the scene for third.

With continuous sunny weather Nakayama is enjoying, this year's running of the Sprinters Stakes, though with an occasional shower or two expected, would still be contested over a good to firm strip; as such, runners breaking from middle or outside stalls that prefer to close from mid-field positions do rate proper notice.

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