World Premiere stays on best to win Tenno Sho and pocket connections £1 million

World Premiere produced a strong finish under Yuichi Fukunaga to win the Group 1 Tenno Sho (Spring) at Hanshin on Sunday, holding off favourite Deep Bond by three-quarters of a length.

In a thrilling 83rd renewal of the most important Japanese contest for stayers, there were four who held strong chances racing well into the final furlong of the two-mile event, but it was 42-10 shot World Premiere who made steady progress from midfield and then moved clear of the rest

Curren Bouquetd'or had come through to challenge longtime leader Diastima but weakened to finish third behind the strong surges of the first two in what is Japan's longest top-flight race.

Christophe Lemaire had won the last two runnings of the Tenno Sho, worth over £1 million to the winner, on Fierement but had to settle for fourth this time on Aristoteles.

Tenno Sho: full result and analysis

Winning rider Fukunaga, son of legendary jockey Yoichi Fukunaga, who won the Tenno Sho with Erimo George in 1976, said: "He was very strong and it was a tough race. Though I couldn't start smoothly, I recovered to get in a good position and it went very well.

"When Win Marilyn advanced outside of us, I had to move earlier than I thought, but he used his good stride to hit the front. I'm honoured to win this prestigious race."

Yucihi Fukunaga: guided World Premiere smoothly through from midfield to land the spoils by three-quarters of a lengthCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The victory was a second at the highest level for World Premiere, owned by Ryoichi Otsuka and bred by Northern Farm, having also won the Group 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) two years ago.

He had failed to make the frame on four starts since when racing over mile and a half trips, but benefited from this additional test of stamina.

Victory meant the five-year-old entire emulated the achievement of his prolific sire, the Japanese Triple Crown winner Deep Impact, who won this race in 2006.

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi was recording a second victory in the ‘Emperor’s Prize’ following his triumph with Admire Jupiter in 2008.

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