Almond Eye elevated to elite level after securing fillies' Triple Crown

Kyoto: Shuka Sho (Grade 1) | 3yo+ fillies and mares | 1m2f [Turf]

Hot on the heels of Enable and Sea Of Class dominating the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a third superstar filly threw her hat into the ring for next year's Longchamp showdown.

Almond Eye wrote her name in the history books with another trademark late rush, adding the Shuka Sho to earlier victories in the 1,000 Guineas (Oka Sho) and the Oaks (Yushun Himba).

In doing so she became the fifth filly to complete the JRA Triple Crown and the first since Gentildonna in 2012.

As in both previous Classic victories, Christophe Lemaire was in no hurry early on, sitting slightly worse than midfield off a pace with almost no let-up throughout, before winding Almond Eye into gear around the home turn and powering to a comfortable length-and-a-half success over Mikki Charm.

Lemaire said: "I was a bit worried today because Almond Eye was rather nervous and [more] highly strung than usual, so the start wasn’t that good, then our path was blocked and we had to go wide, but from there she just showed just how exceptional she was.

"She’s such a fantastic filly and I have to give credit to the trainer and stable staff because it’s so difficult to maintain a horse’s condition at the top of her form throughout the season. Becoming a Triple Crown winner isn’t easy even with the best horse."

Trainer Sakae Kunieda gave little away about future targets afterwards, though he did allay fears about how Almond Eye appeared to be moving post-race, describing her as suffering from only mild heatstroke.

Shuka Sho result

A daughter of the champion sprinter Lord Kanaloa, Almond Eye has lit up the Japanese season with her come-from-behind style and, while she is not currently quoted in betting for next year's Arc, she may force the notoriously conservative JRA official handicappers to put her in that kind of company should she pick up one of the prestigious all-age championship races at home before the end of the year.

Almond Eye and Christope Lemaire land the Shuka Sho at Kyoto, completing the Japanese Fillies' Triple CrownCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

Lemaire was completing another lucrative Pattern-race weekend, having scored on Saturday aboard Deirdre in the Grade 2 Fuchu Himba Stakes over 1m1f at Tokyo.

Deirdre was making only her second start since finishing third in the Dubai Turf in March and Mitsuru Hashida will now aim the four-year-old daughter of Harbinger at the Longines Hong Kong Cup on December 9.

Fuchu Himba Stakes result

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