G1 Guide And Tips: Mile Championship

Race Information

History

First run in 1984, the Mile Championship is Japan’s major late-season mile test and a natural partner to June’s 1,600m Yasuda Kinen, as well as a frequent springboard for Hong Kong Mile incursions at HKIR.

Japan’s premier mile races share a rich crossover: eight horses have won both in the same year, with Jantar Mantar aiming to become the ninth in this year’s edition. Few have shone brighter than Gran Alegria, who completed the double in 2020 and added a second Mile Championship in 2021, before a narrow Yasuda Kinen defeat to Danon Kingly denied her a rare ‘double double’.

Other standout winners include the ‘Grey Monster’ Oguri Cap, pioneering globetrotter Taiki Shuttle (1997, 1998), champion miler Daiwa Major (2006, 2007) and Noriyuki Hori’s ‘Beast from the East’, Maurice (2015).

Statistics

Top Contenders

SOUL RUSH (Rulership x Eternal Bouquet); 7YO

Trainer: Yasutoshi Ikee
Jockey: Cristian Demuro
Biggest win: G1 Mile Championship (2024)

As a seven-year-old entire who has been locking horns with top-class milers for more than three years, it would be natural to have concerns about a decline, but in Soul Rush’s case there is no such worry.

Carrying the momentum from his victory over Romantic Warrior in the Dubai Turf in the spring, he finished third in both the G1 Yasuda Kinen in June and the G2 Fuji Stakes in October.

On Sunday Soul Rush reunites with star jockey Cristian Demuro for the first time since Dubai and looks primed for a successful Mile Championship defence. A consistent performer but might need to find an extra length to defeat Jantar Mantar, who has beaten him twice in 2025.

JANTAR MANTAR (Palace Malice x India Mantuana); 4YO

Trainer: Tomokazu Takano
Jockey: Yuga Kawada
Biggest win: G1 Yasuda Kinen (2025)

Trainer Tomokazu Takano, borrowing a phrase currently in vogue in Japan, has declared of this year’s Mile Championship that “losing isn’t an option”. If Jantar Mantar can win the Yasuda Kinen and the Mile Championship in the same year, it will be a remarkable achievement last accomplished by the great Gran Alegria in 2020.

Although beaten by Gaia Force in his lead-up run in the G2 Fuji Stakes, it was by no means a disappointing performance, with a comfortable margin back to Soul Rush in third.

Jantar Mantar is not the type to normally require a prep race, but the Fuji Stakes run will have tightened him up nicely and have him ready to peak on Sunday.

Over the past year almost all of his achievements have come at expansive Tokyo, but his late kick in the G2 Daily Hai Nisai Stakes as a two-year-old was powerful, and he does not give any sense of being unsuited to the Kyoto course.

ASCOLI PICENO (Daiwa Major x Ascolti); 4YO

Trainer: Yoichi Kuroiwa
Jockey: Christoph Lemaire
Biggest win: G1 Victoria Mile (2025)

Unable to show her true ability in the Prix Jacques le Marois in August, spring mile queen Ascoli Piceno still ranks among the leading contenders here, even against the colts. She will be aiming to complete the Victoria Mile and Mile Championship double in the same year, a feat also last achieved by Gran Alegria in 2021.

Last year, she finished second in the G1 NHK Mile Cup, two and a half lengths behind Jantar Mantar, and in the Victoria Mile she defeated Shirankedo and Argine. The former subsequently finished fourth in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn, while the latter finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

The length of her layoff might be a concern, as this will be her first race since August. Despite her winter coat coming through and perhaps looking in need of a fitness run to bring her on, the well-travelled Ascoli Piceno is generally a strong fresh performer. Trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa has recently expressed confidence in her preparation: “we have increased the volume of her training and her breathing has improved.”

GAIA FORCE (Kitasan Black x Natale); 6YO

Trainer: Haruki Sugiyama
Jockey: Takeshi Yokoyama
Biggest win: G2 Fuji Stakes (2025)

Despite now being six years old, the flashy grey Gaia Force remains full of untapped potential. In the G2 Fuji Stakes he defeated the ‘mile king’ Jantar Mantar – scoring his first victory in three years. Despite such a long winning drought his efforts in those three years were still meritorious: he finished second in the G2 Milers Cup over the same course as the Mile Championship, second in the G1 February Stakes on the dirt, and earlier this year he was second to Jantar Mantar in the G1 Yasuda Kinen.

He is not inferior to his rivals in terms of ability, and it would be no surprise if that last run serves as a springboard to a breakthrough Group 1 victory for Gaia Force.

LEBENSSTIL (Real Steel x Tokai Life); 5YO

Trainer: Hiroyasu Tanaka
Jockey: Damian Lane
Biggest win: G2 Sankei Sho All Comers (2024)

If Forever Young is the one pulling his sire Real Steel’s reputation forward on dirt, then on turf that role falls to Lebensstil. Unlike the metronomic Forever Young, Lebensstil’s form lacks consistency, but he returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in a year in the G2 Mainichi Okan in October.

A difficult temperament has contributed to a number of heavy defeats where things simply did not come together for him, but this horse’s ability is beyond doubt, especially when the race develops in a manner where he can settle and finish off strongly.

The primary concern for Lebensstil against a serious field of milers is his lack of proven form over 1600m. Up to now he has mainly been campaigned over 2000m, and in his first attempt at a mile in this year’s G3 Shirasagi Stakes he finished a disappointing seventh, showing nothing of note. Real Steel himself was also well beaten in all of his races over a mile.

CERVINIA (Harbinger x Cecchino); 4YO

Trainer: Tetsuya Kimura
Jockey: Tom Marquand
Biggest win: G1 Yushun Himba (2024)

Last year’s dual-tiara filly is still searching for a way back to her best. She ran a good second in the mile G3 Shirasagi Stakes in June and kicked off her autumn campaign with the Mile Championship as her main target. However, she was a disappointing seventh in her last start, the G2 Mainichi Okan (1800m).

Her fourth-place finish in last year’s G1 Japan Cup (2400m) behind Do Deuce – where she beat home the likes of Justin Palace, Goliath and Auguste Rodin – is genuine form, but is that level of performance behind her? In her final piece of work Cervinia galloped in the middle of a line of three and finished in front of both her companions, which suggested that trainer Kimura might be looking to fire up her fighting spirit under more race-like conditions.

Expert Analysis & Selections

MASANOBU TAKAHASHI

Angle: Go with the flow

In a race like this year’s Mile Championship, where a full field of champion-class horses has assembled, it is important not to imagine overly complicated scenarios but rather to go with the flow. Jantar Mantar and Soul Rush both drew outside barriers, but as they are horses that usually come from behind and produce a strong late kick, this should not be an issue.

With that in mind, the one to watch is Lavanda. She has improved this season, developing into a graded-level performer, and she defeated Lilac (later finished third in the QEII) in the G2 Ireland Trophy. She is a mare with the ability to insert herself among the giants.

Selections: #15 Jantar Mantar, #17 Soul Rush, #10 Lavanda, #6 Gaia Force

HOMAN

Angle: European sired offspring in Japan

European sired offspring tend to perform well at Kyoto Racecourse. British-bred sire Harbinger, now standing in Japan, has produced two Mile Championship winners in the last 10 years – Persian Knight (2017) and Namur (2023). His offspring Cervinia will join the race under Tom Marquand but she is not on form recently and needs to bounce back.

In addition to the overseas runner Docklands, another British-bred runner in the field is Off Trail by Farhh. The four-year-old has performed well in Kyoto (7:3-3-1) and won the 1400m G2 Swans Stakes there last month. His 20-1 early odds will be worth betting.

Selections: #17 Soul Rush, #11 Off Trail, #15 Jantar Mantar, #10 Lavanda

STEVEN HO

Angle: Tokyo form

Despite this race being held in Kyoto, statistics pointed out an advantage for horses with strong performances in Tokyo’s group races. Relevant examples include races such as the Tenno Sho (Autumn), Fuji Stakes, and Mainichi Okan.

Jantar Mantar is ready to conquer both of Japan’s prestigious mile Group 1 races. While a mile may be slightly short for Lebensstil, winning the Mainichi Okan positions him as a strong competitor in this race.

Selections:  #15 Jantar Mantar, #6 Gaia Force, #17 Soul Rush, #14 Lebensstil

JAYSON KWOK

Angle: Fit ‘stamina’ horse back in trip

Horses with Group form in mile races or longer have a great record in the G1 Mile Championship.

The last ten winners of the race all had finished first or second in a graded race over a mile or further.

Lebensstil’s profile fits the bill – his last start victory in the G2 Mainichi Okan over 1,800m was his third stakes win at more than a mile. He has only raced once back at a mile – in the G3 Shirashagi Stakes at Hanshin back in June – and although he was unplaced as second favourite, he was badly hampered in the closing stages and would have finished closer.

The big race acumen of Damian Lane certainly doesn’t harm his chances, especially with a tricky draw to navigate from, and his race fitness and stamina could be the decisive factor.

Selections: #14 Lebensstil, #10 Lavanda, #15 Jantar Mantar, #6 Gaia Force

David Morgan

It's Mile Championship Week. Here's What You Need To Know

Shuhei Uwabo, David Morgan

Regaleira Has The Aura Of A Champion: QEII Cup Reflection

World Racing Weekly

Rebooted And Rehabbed: Romantic Warrior A "Well-Oiled Machine", Says Physio