Goodness, Gracieux-s: Lys Gracieux Romps in the Arima Kinen

[Wandering Eyes]

Sunday’s G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse was billed as a race between the Japan’s top two racemares, Almond Eye (Jpn) and Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}). With the grandstand packed full with upwards of 90,000 on a cold Sunday afternoon, the reigning Horse of the Year could not come up with the good and petered out in the final 200 metres, but Lys Gracieux, the second choice beneath visiting rider Damian Lane, turned the race into a one-horse show, bolting up by five lengths.

Traveling sweetly while saving ground in the three-turn test, Lys Gracieux was buried down on the inside as fellow swan-songer Aerolithe (Jpn) (Kurofune) went a fierce gallop up front, opening daylight through the middle stages. The second favourite improved in hand nearing the entrance to the straight, came across the heels of both Almond Eye and Saturnalia (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and into the clear before leveling off very impressively. Almond Eye sat a three-wide trip, mostly without cover, and couldn’t see out a strongly run race, while Saturnalia was trapped out deeper still and ran with great credit to be second while no menace to the winner.

Lys Gracieux retires with eight victories from 22 career starts, including the G1 Takarazuka Kinen and the G1 Cox Plate this season. She was also placed multiple times at Group 1 level at home and in Hong Kong.

The Arima Kinen featured 11 Group 1 winners and a half-dozen Japanese Classic winners. A total of ¥46.88 billion (£329,524,812/US$428,503,298) was wagered on the Arima Kinen.

Read more from Richard Edmunds in Monday’s TDNAus/NZ.

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