'I'm looking forward to what's next' - Cosmo Kuranda lands Sunday's Japanese Classic trial

Cosmo Kuranda took the scalp of Sottsass's full-brother Shin Emperor in Sunday's big Classic trial at Nakayama, the Group 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen.

The winner was a first Group or stakes victory for his first-crop sire Al Ain, a winner of the Japanese 2,000 Guineas in 2017 who is, appropriately, a son of Deep Impact.

The Shizuya Kato-trained Cosmo Kuranda, who had only a maiden score from six previous starts, raced in the rear position after a slow start but moved to the front in the back straight under Mirco Demuro in a slow-tempo race and kept on to win by a length and a quarter to the fast-finishing runner up. Sirius Colt was the same distance back in third.

The winner is also the first major success as a broodmare for his dam, Southern Speed, who won the 2011 Caulfield Cup.

"I'm happy," said Demuro. "I had a good impression when I rode him entering the course. Before the race, when I discussed with the trainer and the other people involved, they said that he always runs fast but always idles in the race. So I started to move from the middle of the race, thinking it would be good for him, and it worked well. He's a good horse and I'm looking forward to what's next."

Yuga Kawada, who rode Shin Emperor, said: "He ran well in his first race in a long time and I think it will lead on nicely to the next."

Sweep Feet after winning the Tulip Sho

Hanshin's meeting on Saturday included the Group 2 Tulip Sho, the most important trial for the Oka Sho, the Japanese 1,000 Guineas. It saw the fifth favourite Sweep Feet, who was settled in rear after a slow break under Yutaka Take, surge home on the far outside to sweep her rivals away and prevail by a length and a quarter from Sekitoba East. Garza Blanca, the half-sister to Equinox, was only eighth under Christophe Lemaire.

Sweep Feet, trained by Yasushi Shono and owned by the YGG Horse Club, is a daughter of Suave Richard and was following up in a race landed by her brilliant granddam Sweep Tosho 20 years ago. The first three home have the right to contend the Oka Sho on April 7.

Take said: "This was my first time riding her and I thought she was a good horse. I was wondering how would her run strengthen at the straight, but it was sharper than I expected. This strength was obtained in a trial under the same conditions as the Oka Sho, so we can expect it again."

Read next:

Abbaye hero A Case Of You heading to Drakenstein Stud in South Africa