W Heart Bond Claims The Champions Cup By A Nose

[Wandering Eyes]

W Heart Bond became only the second filly or mare to win the G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo on Saturday. The daughter of Kizuna denied Wilson Tesoro (Kitasan Black) by a nostril in the 1800-metre affair formerly known as the Japan Cup Dirt. For the second year in a row, Wilson Tesoro was second by a nose in the Champions Cup. He also filled that position in 2023, but the margin in that instance was 1 1/4 lengths.

Sent off at 6-1, the four-year-old filly was overeager before the gates flew and was in the hunt for the lead, just off William Barows (Mikki Isle). Sixpence (Kizuna) soon took over with the Silk Racing colourbearer in third behind that duo. The leading two covered 1000 metres in 1:00.30 with W Heart Bond still in a dedicated third. Looming up three deep with 400 metres to travel, the filly soon asserted. In front for a few strides, she was soon tackled by the rallying Wilson Tesoro up the inside. That pair could only be separated by the minimum margin at the wire.

   Ramjet (Majestic Warrior) rallied from well of the pace to take third, 2 1/2 lengths behind with Meisho Hario (Pyro) in fourth by a head. The 6-5 favourite Narukami (Thunder Snow) ran 13th of 16 after meeting traffic at a critical stage.

“She's simply magnificent,” said jockey Ryusei Sakai, who had won the 2023/2024 editions aboard Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid). “Just making it to a Group 1 is tough enough, so winning it is truly amazing. Her final workout didn't look particularly impressive but I guess she knew that the race was what mattered.

“We didn't have a specific race plan, so I focused on riding her while keeping an eye on our rivals. She felt good turning the final corners and I trusted that she would give her best run when she geared up as Wilson Tesoro came from the inside. She was really strong today. I'm just happy that she became a Group 1 winner and the first filly/mare in 10 years to win the Champions Cup, rather than my third consecutive title in this race.”

A winner of her first five starts, all on dirt over 1800 metres, the eventual winner was second in the 2000-metre Listed Breeders' Gold Cup in August. She put her stamp on the G3 Miyako Stakes in the mud at Kyoto in a record time of 1:47.50 warming up for this on November 9.

Pedigree Notes

Kizuna has now sired four Group 1 scorers after the victory of W Heart Bond. His Songline claimed two editions of the Yasuda Kinen, while Justin Milano won the Satsuki Sho and Akai Ito landed the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Overall, W Heart Bond is one of 45 stakes winners, 30 group/graded for her Shadai Stallion Station-based sire.

One of five winners out of GI Personal Ensign Stakes heroine Persistently (Smoke Glacken), W Heart Bond is followed by her placed full-brother Enduro and a weanling half-sister by Indy Champ.

Second dam Just Reward is a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner and sire Good Reward (Storm Cat) and GII Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap hero and sire Pure Prize (Storm Cat). The great granddam of W Heart Bond is blue hen and American champion Heavenly Prize (Seeking The Gold).

Sunday, Chukyo, Japan
CHAMPIONS CUP-G1, ¥232,860,000, Chukyo, 12-7, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:50.20, ft.
1–W HEART BOND (JPN), 123, f, 4, Kizuna (Jpn)
            1st Dam: Persistently (GISW-US, $526,256),
                        by Smoke Glacken
            2nd Dam: Just Reward, by Deputy Minister
            3rd Dam: Heavenly Prize, by Seeking the Gold
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
T-Ryuji Okubo; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥123,402,000. Lifetime Record:
8-7-1-0, ¥245,094,000. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), 128, h, 56, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–
Chesutoke Rose, by Uncle Mo. O-Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings;
B-Ryoken Farm (Jpn); ¥48,972,000.
3–Ramjet (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Majestic Warrior–Nefertiti (Jpn), by
Gold Allure (Jpn). O-Koji Maeda; B-North Hills (Jpn);
¥30,486,000.
Margins: NS, 2HF, HD. Odds: 6.30, 6.30, 11.80.
Also Ran: Meisho Hario (Jpn), Outrange (Jpn), Hagino Alegrias (Jpn), Tenka Jo (Jpn), Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn), Seraphic Call (Jpn), Perriere (Jpn), Sixpence (Jpn), Peptide Nile (Jpn), Narukami (Jpn), Helios (Jpn), Luxor Cafe, William Barows (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video.

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