Embroidery In Search Of The Winning Thread In The Yushun Himba

[Wandering Eyes]

The G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) sees G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) heroine Embroidery (Admire Mars) face 17 rivals in her quest to nab the second jewel of the Japanese Fillies' Triple Tiara.

A winner of the G3 Queen Cup over 1600 metres in February, the Silk Racing colourbearer will be testing the waters beyond 1800 metres for the first time in her young career. Tied in the lead-up betting markets with Oka Sho third Lynx Tip (Kitasan Black), Embroidery was only a neck in front of the re-opposing third choice and G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies heroine Arma Veloce in the Japanese 1000 Guineas. She will be partnered with Christophe Lemaire and will leave from the middle of the field in stall nine.

Said trainer Kazutomo Mori, “She's been running smoothly, and her times have been good. Her win last time was impressive, and it showed that she's developing the right way. She's in about the same condition as she was for the Oka Sho, and it means she should show her speed and power once again.”

Never worse than second in her four lifetime starts, To Racing's Arma Veloce is also trying 2400 metres for the first time, but her connections are undeterred.

Said trainer Hiroyuki Uemura of the juvenile filly champ who is booked in stall one with Mirai Iwata, “She's moved easily on the uphill track this last week, and there's no problem with her condition. I've thought she'd be better in races over a longer trip, and even though we won't know until she tries, the extended distance in this next race should suit her.”

Although she has yet to win a race besides her 2000-metre maiden back in December, Lynx Tip rolls into the Japanese Oaks with plenty of momentum and the distance should suit. Second in the 1800-metre G3 Kisaragi Sho in February, she was 2 1/2 lengths behind Arma Veloce in the first fillies' Classic after being last of 18 at one point during the running. Mirco Demuro will ride the Sunday Racing representative, with the duo breaking from stall five.

Kazuki Nitta, assistant trainer to Masayuki Nishimura, said, “She's filling out more and has a good appetite. Her work's been good on the woodchip course, with a final furlong time of :11.1 seconds. She looks like a horse to run over a distance, so the 2400 meters at Tokyo looks good for her, with her big stride and stamina.”

Besides the leading fancies, G3 Flower Cup second Paradis Reine is seventh choice in the ante-post wagering. One of a staggering five Kizuna fillies in the affair (Ai Sansan, Lesedrama, Brown Ratchet and Go So Far being the others), if she, or one of her paternal half-sisters prevails, it would be the first Japanese Oaks title for Japan's reigning champion sire. Previously, both Light Back in 2024 and Hagino Pilina in 2021 each finished third in the 2400-metre contest.

Triple Crown Chance For Voyage Bubble

Hong Kong darling Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) holds a chance to sweep the Hong Kong Triple Crown at Sha Tin on Sunday as one of nine in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. However, the Sunshine and Moonlight Syndicate runner's greatest challenge is the distance. Successful in the first two legs–the G1 Stewards' Cup (1600m) and the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) in January and February, the 6-year-old gelding has yet to race, let alone win, over 2400 metres. In his latest start, Red Lion (Belardo) beat him into second by just a short head in the G1 Champions Mile in April. If he prevails on Sunday, he would win an HK$10-million bonus and join River Verdon (Be My Native) as the only two horses to accomplish that feat.

William Haggas sends veteran traveler Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai) to attempt to spoil the party and has enlisted the services of Tom Marquand, with the duo due to break from the rail. Second in the G1 Hong Kong Vase over this course and distance in December, the 7-year-old gelding landed the G1 Tancred Stakes over the Champions & Chater trip in soft going at Rosehill on April Fools' Day. Facing off against the formidable middle-distance mare Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) in his next start, he was not disgraced when 1 3/4 lengths second to her in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick later that month.

John Size saddles two in Sunday's contest, and it is his Ensued who holds the better chance. By the infamous 1999 American Triple Crown spoiler Lemon Drop Kid, who won the 2400-metre GI Belmont Stakes on dirt, the 5-year-old gelding has hit the crossbars multiple times in group company this season. His latest effort was a solid fourth behind Tastiera (Satono Crown) in the G1 QEII Cup on FWD Champions Day. He would be the first winner of this contest for his trainer since Super Kid (Gaius) in 2004.

“Ensued is going alright,” Size said. “It was a good run that day in the [Hong Kong] Vase, the winner was too good for him. He ran as well as anything else in the race and he's gone on with that. He's raced well since and he's had a pretty good season.”

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