Jun Light Bolt shows blistering turn of foot to land Champions Cup at Chukyo

Jun Light Bolt showed a formidable turn of foot when getting up to catch Crown Pride in the final strides of the Grade 1 Champions Cup at Chukyo on Sunday.

Partnered by Yukito Ishikawa, the five-year-old was a new top-flight winner for his sire, the late, great King Kamehameha, having cosily landed the Grade 3 Sirius Stakes at the track on his penultimate start in October.

Sent off the third favourite in the 1m1f contest, Jun Light Bolt had been settled at the rear of the field by his rider before overtaking last year's winner and odds-on favourite T O Keynes to down the long-time leader Crown Pride by a head at the line. Hapi was a length and a quarter back in third, with T O Keynes fourth.

Bred by Northern Racing, Jun Light Bold is the fifth foal out of the twice-raced Special Week mare Special Groove, a half-sister to top-level winners Admire Groove and Rulership. Her son is in turn a full-brother to winner Phase Velocity as well as being closely related to Grade 3 Sho Chukyo Kinen scorer Groove It and a half-brother to another winner in Dream Chaser.

The 27-year-old Ishikawa, who was winning his first Grade 1, said: “I can't find any words other than 'happy'. After going around the first corner, I was able to get a feel for his rhythm and believed that if I could find a good position by the top of the home straight, he would show a good turn of foot."

He added: "It doesn't feel real winning the race but I'm hoping it will sink in soon!"

The winning trainer Tomomichi added: "I haven't had any chances to win this Grade 1 until now. The rider has done well and hopefully the horse will run in the February Stakes or the Dubai World Cup next year."

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