GROUP 1 racing returned to the JRA after a three-month summer hiatus with the 54th running of the Sprinter Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse. The Sprinters Stakes in company with March’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen are the only two Group 1 events run over a trip of less than a mile on the JRA fixture list.

A total of 16 runners went to post for the 1,200-metre contest with a €2,000,000 purse on offer, with the 2019 winner, Tower Of London, a notable absentee.

Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Mozu Superflare and dual Group 1-winning miler Gran Alegria were sent to post heading the betting market.

Breaking slowly from stall 10, Gran Alegria appeared to be outpaced in the early running behind a ferocious early pace. Under a typically cool ride from champion jockey Christophe Lemaire, the pair raced at the rear of the field.

As the field rounded the final bend, Gran Alegria remained in 15th of the 16 runners with Lemaire edging towards the centre of the track. One gentle reminder from her jockey conjured a most impressive turn-of-foot from the four-year-old who swiftly passed the remainder of the field and crossed the line a comprehensive two-length winner.

Danon Smash finished as runner-up with the fast-finishing filly, A Will A Way, flashing home to claim third spot a further half a length in arrears.

Group 1-winning sprinter Mozu Superflare lost his chance in the first two furlongs. The front-running specialist was engaged in a heated battle for the lead in the first two furlongs. Her rider, Fuma Matsuwaka, seemingly adamant in his desire to lead. Setting a pace that was impossible to maintain, the pair finished in a weary 10th place.

An Oka Sho (1000 Guineas) winner as a three-year-old, Gran Alegria added the envious scalp of Almond Eye in the 2020 Group 1 Yasuda Kinen further proving her aptitude over a mile.

On just her second start over 1,200 metres, the Kasuo Fujisawa-trained filly becomes the first Group 1 winner for her sire, Deep Impact, over six furlongs. Gran Alegria is now a six-time winner from her nine career starts earning in excess €4,600,000.

Representatives of her owners, Sunday Racing Co. Ltd., have announced that her intended next run will be back at her previously believed ‘preferred distance’ in the Group 1 Mile Championship on November 22nd in Kyoto.

Gran Alegria’s performance not only marked a 31st JRA Group 1 win for Christophe Lemaire but also marked a 100th JRA group-level success for the French native.

Lemaire is well poised to retain the title of leading jockey and currently sits on 151 wins atop the rankings, 15 wins clear of his nearest pursuer.

Gran Alegria is the first produce of dual American Grade 1 winner Tapitsfly (Tapit). She was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale as a filly out-of-training, knocked-down for $1,850,000.

Spectators set to return

AS of October 10th, a limited number of racing fans will be permitted to attend racing fixtures in the JRA.

Customers will need to apply for a restricted number of reserved seated tickets in advance of race day. Tokyo, Kyoto and Niigata Racecourse will initially offer 1,047, 778 and 621 seats respectively.

Upon arrival at the entrance to the course, customers will have their identification and their temperatures checked. Once inside the track, face masks are mandatory as well as strict adherence to social distancing protocols. The announcement comes at an opportune moment for racing fans as the highly anticipated autumn fixture list begins in earnest.

Both Daring Tact and Contrail bid to claim the final leg of their respective Triple Crowns. Daring Tact will take on the fillies in the Group 1 Shuka Sho (Oct 18th) with Contrail in the Kikuka Sho (Oct 25th) both due to be run at Kyoto.

Fans will also have the opportunity to see the sweetheart of Japanese racing, Almond Eye, attempt to become the only horse in JRA history to win eight Group 1 titles. She is set to return to the track for the Tenno Sho (autumn) on November 1st in Japan’s capital.

The JRA had originally scheduled the opening of Niigata Racecourse to fans at the beginning of August. However, a spike of cases of the virus in close to the track forced the sport’s governing body to abandon that plan. Off-course betting offices operated by the JRA reopened to the public at the end of September.

Racing in Japan has been held behind closed doors since February 29th. Japan has so far escaped the widespread outbreaks seen around the world. At the time of writing, Japan has reported 86,000 positive cases of Covid-19 from the 126 million population.