Omega Perfume enters Japanese racing record books with third Tokyo Daishoten win

Omega Perfume carved out a significant slice of Japan racing history for himself on Tuesday, when becoming the first horse in his nation to win the same Group 1 Flat race three times on the spin.

The five-year-old was the red-hot 30-100 favourite for the Tokyo Daishoten at Ohi racecourse and duly delivered in what is the one and only top-level race on the NAR dirt racing circuit.

Racing in Japan is classified into two categories: racing conducted by the Japan Racing Association (JRA), and that by local governments on the prefectural and municipal level (NRA).

Mirco Demuro was aboard the Shogo Yasuda-trained Omega Perfume for the milestone success in the mile and a quarter contest.

Omega Perfurme raced in fifth position initially and quickened to challenge for the lead four wide on the home turn. He duelled with Casino Fountain in the final two furlongs, and while Casino Fountain led at the furlong pole, the favourite got on top close home to prevail in a tight finish by a neck. Third favourite Westerlund was half of a length back in third.

The grey Omega Perfume and Mirco Demuro get on top of Casino Fountain close homeCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

For Omega Perfume, a grey son of US-bred Swept Overboard, out of Gold Allure's winning mare Omega Fragrance, this was a ninth win from 19 starts, including the 2018 and 2019 runnings of the Tokyo Daishoten.

Demuro said: "I'm very happy. He's a mature horse and knows his job. He was positive today and I felt a good response from him all the way.

"He sort of idled once he hit the front so I took him to run near the other horse and then urged him to go on and win. It's fantastic to win this for three consecutive years.

"Everyone had been saying about the record beforehand so I felt under pressure. I'm relieved to win the last Group 1 of the year."

The winning trainer Yasuda said: "It's not easy to get a horse to run three times in the same Grade 1, so I'd like to say thank you to the owner [Reiko Hara] and all connections who I train him for.

"He was in top condition. He did lose a bit of concentration in the home straight, though, and I was just praying he would get there."

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