'He has big potential' - Prognosis makes a deep impact in Sapporo Kinen

 

Prognosis following his success in the Sapporo Kinen on SundayCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

The Group 2 Sapporo Kinen, an important prep race for the top-level contests in Japan in the autumn, and for runners who could have overseas targets, fell the way of Prognosis on Sunday.

In the mile and a quarter contest at Sapporo, Hokkaido, Prognosis started slowly but made ground from the rear in the back straight to chase the front-runners, before getting to the leader Top Knife and powering clear by four lengths under Yuga Kawada. So Valiant was a further three lengths back in third.

Last year's winner Jack D'Or was only sixth and 2022 Hong Kong Vase winner Win Marilyn was ninth of the 15 runners.

Prognosis, Deep Impact's five-year-old son out of the Observatory mare Velda, was scoring for the sixth time in his ten-race career. He also won this year’s Group 2 Kinko Sho and was runner-up to Romantic Warrior in the Group 1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin in April.

Prognosis and Yuga Kawada win the Sapporo KinenCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

Kawada, who has been on board for each of his wins, said: "I felt his condition was not perfect, but I thought about how much he could still achieve. After the slow start, I rode him in rhythm and got him racing, thinking about when to make our challenge.

“He has big potential but it is so hard to get him to demonstrate his true ability. Today, he could do it."

The 2022 Dubai Sheema Classic and Japanese Derby winner Shahryar, whose plans include the Breeders' Cup Turf, finished only 11th. 

After his post-race veterinary examination revealed epiglottis entrapment, the owners, Sunday Thoroughbred Club, made the announcement that he would be sent to Northern Farm to graze and undergo surgery.

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