Jantar Mantar Much the Best in Mile Championship

[Wandering Eyes]

The Tomokazu Takano-trained Jantar Mantar cemented his status as Japan's outstanding performer over 1,600 metres with victory in the G1 Mile Championship at Kyoto on Sunday, beating old rival Gaia Force (Kitasan Black) by a length and three-quarters in a near carbon copy of the result from June's G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo.

Becoming just the ninth horse to win both the Yasuda Kinen and Mile Championship in the same year, Jantar Mantar raced in third behind tearaway leader Toshin Macau (Big Arthur) through the first half of the race. Moving up to challenge early in the straight, the son of Palace Malice was in front with 150 metres to run and from there he quickly stamped his authority on the contest, proving himself much the best as Gaia Force ran on from the chasing pack to edge out longshot Water Licht (Drefong) for the runner-up spot.

Off Trail (Farhh), Elton Barows (Deep Brillante) and defending champion Soul Rush (Rulership) also finished close up in a closely-fought battle for the minor placings, while British raider Docklands (Massaat), the winner of the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, ran an honourable race, passing the post five lengths behind the winner in ninth.

“I'm glad we were able to prove that the colt is a true champion,” said the successful jockey, Yuga Kawada. “Although we lost our recent race, it was a good prep for today and enabled the colt to run in good rhythm with a good feeling. He responded smoothly and, in the home stretch, with the sun setting behind us, I was able to check by the shadows that no one was sneaking up on us. Owing to his outstanding talent and to the hard work of everyone involved, the colt has won all Group 1 mile events open for colts/horses, which I think is absolutely incredible.”

Gaia Force and Jantar Mantar were both returning from over four months on the sidelines when the first-named horse enjoyed his day in the sun in last month's G2 Fuji Stakes at Tokyo. Previously, Jantar Mantar had dished out a comprehensive beating of that rival in the Yasuda Kinen and Sunday's victory was the fourth of his career at the top level. Crowned Japan's champion two-year-old colt in 2023 after winning the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, he also won last year's G1 NHK Mile Cup against his own age group.

 

Jantar Mantar (#ジャンタルマンタル​​) asserted his dominance in Grade 1 Mile Championship (#マイルチャンピオンシップ) at Kyoto Racecourse (#京都競馬場)!

European challenger Docklands was back in ninth…#競馬 @netkeiba pic.twitter.com/WQpWLdMuss

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 23, 2025

 

Pedigree Notes

India Mantuana, the dam of Jantar Mantar, produced the best effort of her career when winning the GIII Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar in 2018. She was led out unsold on a bid of $145,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, before being bought by Shadai for $100,000, pregnant to Accelerate, at Keeneland January in 2020. She unfortunately aborted that foal and was bred to Palace Malice prior to her export to Japan, where she slipped her Kizuna foal in 2022. Her two-year-old by Pyro, Unnatamsa, filled the runner-up spot on her second start at Kyoto last month, while she also has a yearling filly by Isla Bonita.

Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
MILE CHAMPIONSHIP-G1, ¥347,520,000, Kyoto, 11-23, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:31.30, fm.
1–JANTAR MANTAR (JPN), 128, c, 4, by Palace Malice
      1st Dam: India Mantuana (GSW-US, SP-Can, $223,100), by Wilburn
      2nd Dam: Speed Wagon, by Tomorrows Cat
      3rd Dam: Rajica, by El Baba
O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm; T-Tomokazu Takano;
J-Yuga Kawada; ¥183,864,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo
Colt-Jpn, 10-6-2-1, ¥712,498,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gaia Force (Jpn), 128, h, 6, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Natale (Jpn),
by Kurofune. (¥30,000,000 Wlg '19 JRHJUL). O-KR Japan;
B-Oiwake Farm; ¥73,104,000.
3–Water Licht (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Drefong–Water Peony (Jpn), by
Victoire Pisa (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Masato
Yamaoka; B-Fushikida Farm; ¥45,552,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, NS, NK. Odds: 0.80, 7.60, 129.20.
Also Ran: Off Trail (GB), Elton Barows (Jpn), Soul Rush (Jpn), Ascoli Piceno (Jpn), Magic Sands (Jpn), Docklands (GB), Cervinia (Jpn), Toshin Macau (Jpn), Lebensstil (Jpn), Kangchenjunga (Jpn), Champagne Color (Jpn), Long Run (Jpn), Lavanda (Jpn), Wide Latour (Jpn), Win Marvel (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

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