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 (Arima Kinen Day):

As a radically undulating course, with its share of wicked corners and short stretch runs, fields for both the featured Arima Kinen and the Goodluck Handicap to contest over 2500m on the clockwise Nakayama strip will roll downhill instantly after the break, while bearing right for an extended 600m section. Again, due to the sharpness of this first corner, runners drawing high numbers will either be parked wide, or need to tuck back behind other horses and save ground. Still, being deep routes with a presumably sedate pace through the early markers, runners still have plenty of time and space to find a cozy spot, when they file by the grandstand for the first time.

Then, with one full lap still to go, and re-approaching the aforementioned 600m section by the side of the course, runners will race downslope until another terse up-hill run some 250m from home. While such undulations are taxing on the front-runners, the final corner is also quite sharp just before turning for home, thus deep closers may have to whip around the field and avoid traffic. Also, with a mere 300m stretch drive, horses from off the pace need to make their moves through the turn, or leave themselves too much to do down the lane.

To the rest of the day’s undercard, runners for the 1200m Happy End Cup on turf, likewise using the outer course as the 2500m trip, will travel some 600m before reaching that same wicked final corner. Runners trying to sneak up on the rail will need more than a little luck, as big packs often clog the middle or outside paths up front; rather, a perfect trip here should be to stalk somewhere from second through fifth position, preferably along the second flight, before overhauling the early leaders down the stretch. Onto the dirt oval, both the 2yo 1 win and the 2020 Farewell Stakes are 1200m sprints; with a 500m backstretch run before reaching the first turn, front-runners would often dazzle all the way home. Meanwhile, runners for the 1800m trip for both the 3yo and up 1 win and the Best Wishes Cup will travel a 300m-plus stretch run before hitting the clubhouse turn; together with an uncontested early pace, even a bad stall from out wide should not hurt as much.

In the 2019 edition of the Arima Kinen on firm goings, the incandescent AEROLITHE, who posted blistering panels early, could not set up any better for the eventual tierce of LYS GRACIEUX, SATURNALIA and WORLD PREMIERE; as this trio hit the gas pedal, almost in tandem, from off the pace, a crafty trip by Damian Lane guided LYS GRACIEUX off the rail to charge right down the stretch, and hit home first in style.

As Nakayama is bathing in the sun as of late, and through the weekend, this year’s running of the Arima Kinen Day would be contested on good to firm ground. Should track conditions hold up – be it turf or dirt – runners sent to the front early, particularly at sprints, may enjoy better results.

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