Moore strikes as Maurice takes Tenno Sho (Autumn) crown

Ryan Moore on Sunday made the perfect start to a big week when partnering Maurice to a hugely popular success in the prestigious ¥290,500,000 (£2.28 million/€2.53m) Tenno Sho (Autumn).

Moore and Maurice combined for two Grade 1 victories at the end of last year in the Kyoto Mile Championship and Hong Kong Mile, but there had been concerns about the five-year-old's ability to excel over the extra quarter of a mile, feelings which were backed up by his defeat in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen over ten furlongs the time before.

Maurice's task was made no easier by the fact he faced a deep field in the Tokyo Grade 1, including Dubai Turf winner Real Steel, last year's Tenno Sho (Autumn) scorer Lovely Day and Prix d'Ispahan winner A Shin Hikari.