Potential Arc challenger Saturnalia runs rings round rivals on seasonal return

Saturnalia, a 33-1 shot with Unibet to give Japan a cherished first victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, justified odds-on favouritism at Chukyo on Sunday in the Grade 2 Kinko Sho.

The ten-furlong turf race is a stepping stone to the Grade 1 Osaka Hai, and Saturnalia took it in his stride.

He raced in fifth under Christophe Lemaire before striking the front a furlong out and going on to win on his seasonal debut by two lengths from longshot Satono Saltus. Daiwa Cagney was three-quarters of a length back in third.

This was a sixth success from nine starts for the Katsuhiko Sumii-trained Saturnalia, who won last year's Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) and was second in the Arima Kinen.

He did not show his best form in 2019 when racing at left-handed Tokyo in the Japanese Derby or Tenno Sho Autumn, but in winning at left-handed Chukyo, he suggested he would take leading rank among Japanese middle-distance horses in 2020 as a stronger four-year-old.

Lemaire said: "I am happy to win with him again. The race panned out perfectly and his turn of foot was so good.

"I wasn't worried anyway, but we had no problem racing counter- clockwise. He is a Satsuki Sho winner and I would like to win another Grade 1 with him again this year."

He added: "I think he would have a big chance in either the Osaka Hai or Hong Kong's QEII. He has lots of fans so I would like him to be able to race in front of spectators next time."

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