Mile Championship (Group 1)

IT has been a terrific season for Ryan Moore but he was on the end of some bad luck in Japan last weekend when he missed out on another Group 1 win.

Ryan Moore who was due to ride fifth favourite Namur but he fell from his mount in the second race and had to go under a medical checkup

Kota Fujioka rode the four-year-old filly in place of Moore. The filly, drawn widest in 16, captured her long-awaited first Group 1 title. The daughter of Harbinger, after registering her first graded-race victory in the Grade 2 Tulip Sho as a three-year-old, was third in the following Group 1s: the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and second in the Shuka Sho.

Trainer Tomokazu Takano landed his fifth JRA-Group 1 with the win while jockey Kota Fujioka claimed his second.

Breaking from the outermost gate, Namur, in the colours of Carrot Farm Co., Ltd. was keen under Fujioka but was quickly under control and held back off the pace, two wide and in front of Schnell Meister near the rear of the field.

As the field began to close in on the leader approaching the final corner, Namur began to made headway together with the race favourite, and she came charging from behind with an incredible turn of speed through the field to mow down all her rivals and head the leader right before the wire for a neck victory.

Kota Fujioka told reporters: “I’d seen how the filly raced before and was aware of her ability. I was positive going into the race and just concentrated on keeping her relaxed.

“The break didn’t go very smoothly but she was in good rhythm once settling into the race and responded well, so I knew we could get a good run as long as I did my job of getting her into a good spot at the straight - from there she really showed her strength”.

Third choice Soul Rush raced in mid- division, around 11th. The son of Rulership loomed into contention at early stretch, and led a furlong out but he was caught just before the line, holding off the fast-closing third-place finisher.

Justin Cafe raced outside Soul Rush around 12th, was slower to get into gear but showed a good turn of foot to threaten the leader though he was outrun by the winner to finish a close third.

Last year’s winner Serifos could only finish eighth.