Sunday the 13th of May will see the second running of the Victoria Mile over turf at Tokyo racecourse. This race was established as a principal race for Fillies and Mares last year .
The track at Tokyo where the Victoria Mile is to be run, is well known to international followers of Japanese racing, as it is the same venue as the Grade 1 Japan Cup, and is exactly the same course as one of Japan's other feature international Grade 1 races - the Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen. From the 1600m start, there is a long run of over 500m to the long curving turn which lasts for more than 400m, leading into the final straight of 525m, the first 225 of which is uphill.
27 fillies and mares have nominated for the race, so for the second year running the race will have a capacity field of 18 runners. Although the race is one of the many feature Japanese races open to international participation, once again no foreign trainer horses have been nominated.
Nevertheless, the race looks to be just as good a contest as it was last year when won by Dance in the Mood. The favorite for Sunday's race will be Japan's Champion 3yo filly of 2006, Kawakami Princess. She returns to the racetrack for the first time since her unfortunate experience in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup where she finished first for the 6 times in just 6 runs (3 at Grade 1 level) only to be demoted to 12th position for interference caused in the home straight. Although the interference clearly caused problems for other runners and the relegation was unavoidable, her run to beat every other runner home was a great one, and Japanese fans are likely to embrace her as an unbeaten commodity on Sunday.
Kawakami Princess is expected by many in Japan to prove herself to be one of the top horses in Japan this year. After winning the Grade 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (the 2nd leg of the 3yo fillies' triple crown) at just her 3rd start last year, she came back in the autumn and easily won the Grade 1 Shuka Sho (the 3rd leg of the triple crown) first up before the relegation in the QE II Cup in which she finished first. She has won twice over 1400m, so the 1600m here should not be a problem, and she was devastating in her first-up win in the Shuka Sho last year, so she should also handle being first up for 6 months here. She has also won twice at the Tokyo track.
The main danger to Kawakami Princess appears to be Japan's Best Older Filly or Mare of 2005, Sweep Tosho. Although Kawakami Princess finished ahead of her in last year's QE II Cup, Sweep Tosho has proved she is one of Japan's best horses, with some wonderful efforts against the males - something Kawakami Princess is yet to do. Her career highlight was her win in the 2005 Takarazuka Kinen where she defeated top Japanese horses such as Heart's Cry, Zenno Rob Roy, Lincoln, Sunrise Pegasus and Tap Dance City among others. She also became one of the first horses to beat Hong Kong's champion sprinter Silent Witness when finishing 2nd behind Asakusa Den'en in the 2005 Yasuda Kinen over this very course (Silent Witness finished 3rd).
Sweep Tosho has been a model of consistency throughout her career, finishing in the top 5 in 19 of her 21 starts. She showed she was still in top form when finishing 2nd first up last start in the Grade 2 Yomiuri Milers Cup over 1600m at Hanshin racecourse, where she ran an amazing 32.7 seconds for her last 600m to come from 9th early on. What makes the effort more impressive is that the winner (Kongo Rikishio) led all the way in record time (1:32.2 for the 1600m) so the race certainly wasn't just a sprint home.
Kawakami Princess and Sweep Tosho will likely be sent out the top two picks by local Japanese punters, but there are plenty of others who have some chance in the race, and below is a summary of their chances.
Dia de la Novia was 4th across the line behind Kawakami Princess, Fusaichi Pandora and Sweep Tosho in last year's QE II Cup before being promoted to 3rd. She has a big finish and has never missed a place at Tokyo. She disappointed in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup behind Pride, Admire Moon and Vengeance of Rain in December last year, but then came back to Japan and demolished a Grade 3 field of fillies and mares. Last start she was ridden forward as a very short priced favorite and disappointed to finish 3rd. It is likely she will be ridden from behind again here so look for her to be finishing strongly in the final stages of the race.
Asahi Rising went close in some big races last year, finishing 3rd in the Grade 1 Japanese Oaks, 2nd in the Grade 1 Shuka Sho, and 5th (promoted to 4th) in the Grade 1 QE II Cup (all behind Kawakami Princess) in Japan, and also finishing 2nd in the Grade 1 American Oaks when unexpectedly ridden from behind. She has struggled since coming back this year however, finishing 13th and 8th in easier races, and probably won't be given much chance here, as this is a much harder race. Would be a good place chance if she returned to her best form.
Fusaichi Pandora is another horse who ran well in 2006, but is struggling this year. After finishing 2nd to Kawakami Princess in the Japanese Oaks and 3rd in the Shuka Sho, she won the Grade I QE II Cup after Kawakami Princess was demoted to 12th. She then put in a reasonable run to finish 5th in the small field in the Grade 1 Japan Cup behind Deep Impact. Since coming back this year though, she has been tried on dirt, over longer distances and then back to a mile last start, but has disappointed at each outing. She did have good form around the fancied runners last year, so if she can return to form she needs to be given some kind of chance here.
Agnes Raspberry may have some admires after two consecutive placings in fillies and mares Grade class at her last starts, but this is much tougher, and she was unplaced at her only previous run at Tokyo racecourse.
Cosmo Marvelous almost caused a huge upset last year when fought on well all the way down the straight before being run down by three of the fancied runners in the shadows of the post to run 4th at the huge odds of 210/1. She comes into this race in much better form than last year, never finishing worse than 5th in all of her 8 starts since this race last year, and running a nice 4th in the Grade 3 Fukushima Himba Stakes as her final leadup. A place chance once again this year.
Daring Heart. A daughter of Sunday Silence who placed in 2 Grade 1s as a 3yo (the Grade 1 Oka Sho, and the Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup) and finished 6th in this race last year. Likes the Tokyo track and does have ability, so another who looks to have a solid place chance.
Admire Kiss has the unfortunate claim to fame of being the beaten favorite in each of the 3yo filly triple crown races last years. There is no doubt she has ability though, and champion jockey Yutaka Take has always stuck with her. The 1600m should suit her, and she should also appreciate the Tokyo course. She has a very big finish, and this looks like the perfect race for her to prove for once and for all that she is a genuine Grade class 1 filly. One of the best chances.
Kiss to Heaven won the 2006 Grade 1 Oka Sho beating Admire Kiss and Asahi Rising, but has struggled badly since - failing to even place in her following 6 starts. Obviously has ability and she was only narrowly beaten last start (even though finishing 5th) so can surprise at odds.
Jolly Dance will have supporters after winning two in a row leading up to this race. At her last start, she ran past hot favorite Dia de la Novia to win the Grade 2 Hanshin Himba Stakes over 1400m. She had a great record at Tokyo with 2 wins and a second from 4 starts, and she has Katsumi Ando, sho is currently number two in JRA standings, on board. This is a much harder field than she has ever faced, but the form around her is solid.
Spring Drew comes into the race after a win in the Grade 3 Fukushima Himba Stakes, but she is now a 7yo mare and has been placed only once at Tokyo racecourse in 9 attempts.
Yamaninmerveilleux finished 3rd in the Grade 3 Fukushima Himba Stakes last start behind Spring Drew, after finishing 3rd in another Grade 3 fillies and mares race earlier in the year. She seems to be going much better this time in after a nice break over the winter, and in a race looking to lack early pace, she may get an easy time in front. If she does, she may prove hard to run down, as outsider Cosmo Marvelous did last year.
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