2005 News
November 20, 2005
THE 22ND MILE CHAMPIONSHIP (GI)
Sunday, November 20, 2005
RESULT OF THE 22ND MILE CHAMPIONSHIP (GI)
French jockey Olivier Peslier brought out the best performance from Sumii-trained Hat Trick, who denied champion Durandal in his bid to defend his title for the second time and captured his first GI victory in this yearfs Mile Championship. Only a fraction behind was runner-up, Daiwa Major partnered by Christophe Lemaire, also a French jockey who was runner-up with Dance in the Dark in the same race last year. Top three-year-old filly, Rhein Kraft, who faced the older horses for the first time after proving best among a field of mixed three-year-olds in the NHK Mile Cup (3yo GI, 1,600m) in May, finished a length-behind in third. It was the 12th GI win in Japan and the second Mile Championship title for Olivier Peslier after winning with Zenno El Cid in '02.
Kenichi Ikezoe, who rode Durandal for his third consecutive title in the race was sent to post a heavy favorite at 1.5 (decimal odds) but despite registering the fastest time over the last three furlongs at 33.2 seconds, finished eighth.
The race broke off with Lohengrin sprinting to set the pace while Daiwa Major kept within the pace two wide in third position. Rhein Kraft saved ground behind eight rivals while Hat Trick was reserved outside a rival another couple of lengths behind.
Avoiding the roughened surface along the rails, the field moved wide coming around the turn for home. Daiwa Major had the advantage of being positioned where he had just to kick off in a straight line from three wide and assumed command 200 meters out between Balance of Game and Dance in the Mood who also made a bid from the head of the stretch. He looked to have succeeded in holding off a fierce chase from behind until Hat Trick came flying at a pace of 33.3 second in the last three furlongs to pin Daiwa Major in the last stride. Rhein Kraft also showed an impressive turn of foot from going wide around the turn and closed in well even after being overtaken by the winner.
