'I believe his second chapter has begun' - Jantar Mantar bounces back in Yasuda Kinen

Jantar Mantar returned from a long layoff with another Grade 1 win in Sunday's Yasuda Kinen, the spring season championship for the milers.

The four-year-old son of Palace Malice out of Wilburn's US-Grade 3 winning mare India Mantuana marked his fifth win from eight starts, including the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes and NHK Mile Cup, for owner-breeder Shadai Farm and trainer Tomokazu Takano.

Not seen since beating only one horse in December's Hong Kong Mile, Jantar Mantar came home a length and a half away from the fast-finishing Gaia Force. The favourite, Dubai Turf winner Soul Rush, was a neck back in third.

Winning rider Yuga Kawada said: "I'm very relieved that he could run like him for the first time in a while. He started fast and was in good rhythm and was settling smoothly into third place, but there were horses coming from the outside and he got very excited there, so I wondered how it would turn out after that. 

"But he was very patient and I was amazed that he was able to win in such a strong manner after that. When he won the Asahi Hai, I felt that he had a lot of potential, and when he won the NHK Mile Cup, I realised that he would become the best miler in Japan. He ran in a way that proved that once again. I think this race proved that he is the strongest mile horse in Japan."

Takano added: "When he returned from Hong Kong, he was tired and shaky. I think it must have been really hard to bring him from there to the point where he could win a Grade 1, and even after returning my yard at Ritto Training Centre, the staff spent a lot of time on him.

"Thanks to the support of so many people, he has regained his brilliance and I believe his second chapter has begun. I want to help him take even greater strides."

Soul Rush's rider Suguru Hamanaka said: "I rode him in training and I felt that he was in good condition. Since there were no horses who were willing to go to lead, I thought the pace would be slow, but he couldn't start off well, though the winning horse got ahead smoothly. He caught up well at the end. It's a shame."

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