G1 Guide & Tips: Victoria Mile

Race Information

History

The Victoria Mile is Japanese racing’s premier spring target for fillies and mares aged four and up. Established in 2006, it gives the best of the division a nicely timed lead-in to the open weight-for-age Yasuda Kinen over the same course and distance at the beginning of June. The roll call of winners reads like a who’s who of the modern era, with Vodka, Apapane, Almond Eye and Gran Alegria all stamping their authority on the race.

The Victoria Mile has produced some of the most dominant performances seen in Japanese racing. The great Almond Eye toyed with her opponents in 2020, only to be cut down by Gran Alegria in the Yasuda Kinen at her next start. Twelve months on, Gran Alegria was the superstar Victoria Mile winner, but she too was unable to follow up in the Yasuda Kinen, crossing the line second, a head behind Danon Kingly. That pattern speaks to the quality of mares the race attracts — good enough to demolish their own sex, bold enough to take on the colts.

The race has also delivered moments of pure theatre. In 2022 the immensely popular white filly Sodashi sealed victory to scenes of delight, reminding punters that the Victoria Mile is as much about storylines as it is about class. As a launchpad, a proving ground and occasionally a coronation, it remains one of the most anticipated dates on the Japanese calendar.

Statistics

Top Contenders

EMBROIDERY (Admire Mars x Rottenmeier); 4YO

Trainer: Kazutomo Mori
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
Biggest Win: G1 Oka Sho (2025)

Embroidery, who won the G1 Oka Sho in last year’s fillies’ Classics before also taking the G1 Shuka Sho to complete the ‘Double Tiara’, now takes on her first G1 race as an older mare. If last year’s Oka Sho winner can win the Victoria Mile, she would become the fourth to do so, following Buena Vista, Apapane and Sodashi.

IShe ended last year in the G1 Hong Kong Mile but up against older horses and males for the first time, she was well beaten in 11th. However, back against her own sex, her strength remains intact. In her latest start, the G2 Hanshin Himba Stakes, she was able to adopt her preferred all-the-way style and held on for a well-fought  victory, with Kamunyak a closing second and Lavanda well-beaten in eighth, horses she will face again in the Victoria Mile.

Her jockey Christophe Lemaire has finished in the placings every year in the Victoria Mile since 2020, boasting an outstanding record of 6:3-2-1. During that span, he has won three times when riding the favourite.

KAMUNYAK (Black Tide x Dance Amiga); 4YO

Trainer: Yasuo Tomomichi
Jockey: Yuga Kawada
Biggest Win: G1 Yushun Himba (2025)

Has Kamunyak truly overcome her heavy defeat in the Shuka Sho? Last year’s G1 Yushun Himba winner showed signs of a revival when finishing second in the Hanshin Himba Stakes, her trial for this race. In the Victoria Mile, she meets her same-generation rival Embroidery for the fourth time, with their head-to-head record so far standing at one win and two defeats for Kamunyak.

During her three-year-old season, Kamunyak won the Yushun Himba (2400m) after taking the G2 Flora Stakes (2000m) as her trial, then made a winning return in the autumn in the G2 Rose Stakes (1800m). The picture had been set: “Embroidery at a mile, Kamunyak over middle distances.” But in the Shuka Sho, she suddenly appeared to lose her composure just before entering the barrier, and the result was a shock heavy defeat on the 16th.

As trainer Yasuo Tomomichi said, “Her composure on the day, or rather how smoothly she can enter the barrier, will be the most important thing,” calmness is the key for her. In the Shuka Sho, the barrier was positioned in front of the grandstand, where the roar of the crowd could be heard at close range. In the Victoria Mile, however, the barrier is located farther away. That should work in her favour in terms of helping her settle.

That said, the second issue is her record at a mile. From her two-year-old season into her three-year-old campaign, two defeats over a mile led connections to abandon the Oka Sho and switch to the Oaks route, and she has yet to win over the distance. The question is this: how will she measure up against mile specialists?

QUEEN’S WALK (Kizuna x Wavell Avenue); 5YO

Trainer: Mitsumasa Nakauchida
Jockey: Atsuya Nishimura
Biggest Win: G2 Kinko Sho (2025)

While the rivalry between Embroidery and Kamunyak is drawing much of the attention, the leading representative of the older generation with proven Victoria Mile form is last year’s runner-up Queen’s Walk. Yuga Kawada had ridden her in all 12 of her starts to date, but this time, 26-year-old Atsuya Nishimura will take the ride for the first time.

She has been a horse with an inconsistent profile but in her four-year-old season she went into the Victoria Mile off a victory in the G2 Kinko Sho and finished second by a neck, only being caught late by Ascoli Piceno. This season she again resumed in the Kinko Sho, finishing third but beaten by less than a length.

The Victoria Mile is known as a race for repeat performers and within the past 10 years alone there have been a number of horses who have finished in the placings in consecutive years, including Sodashi, Normcore, Jour Polaire and Straight Girl, who won the race in back-to-back years. Queen’s Walk is the only horse from last year’s top three who will line up again this year.

JOCELYN (Epiphaneia x Katies Heart); 4YO

Trainer: Yuichi Shikato
Jockey: Keita Tosaki
Biggest Win: G3 Kokura Himba Stakes

Jocelyn, a four-year-old who has emerged on the graded-stakes scene since last autumn, is viewed as a horse with untapped appeal. A full sister to Efforia, Japan’s 2021 Horse of the Year, can she follow her great brother and capture a G1 title of her own?

Jocelyn runs have been spaced at each of her starts. In September’s G2 Shion Stakes she finished a close second to the winner, then ran well again when fourth in the Shuka Sho the following month before being sent for a spell. In her first start this season, the G3 Kokura Himba Stakes in January, she held off the late challenge of Bond Girl, a G1 runner-up, by a narrow margin to claim her first graded-stakes victory.

If Jocelyn wins the Victoria Mile in just her seventh career start, it would be the fewest starts ever by a winner in the race’s 20-year history. Over the past 10 years, the record has been closely balanced between four-year-olds and horses aged five or older, with the former winning four times and the latter six.

CERVINIA (Harbinger x Cecchino); 5YO

Trainer: Tetsuya Kimura
Jockey: Damian Lane
Biggest Win: G1 Yushun Humba (2024)

Cervinia, the ‘Double Tiara’ winner from two years ago, is still searching for a way back to her best. In her latest start, February’s G2 Nakayama Kinen, she produced a sharp finish over the final 100m to run into fifth, beaten two lengths by the winner, but was that really a sign of revival?

Unlike her three-year-old season, when she won the Yushun Himba and the Shuka Sho before finishing fourth in the G1 Japan Cup, her four-year-old campaign last year was a difficult one. In June’s G3 Shirasagi Stakes, she returned to a mile, but despite being the only G1 winner in the field, she had to settle for second and was unable to win. After that, she shifted to the mile division and in the autumn she contested the G1 Mile Championship, but again failed to make an impact and finished 10th.

This Victoria Mile will be her first race against fillies and mares since the Shuka Sho, two seasons ago. Victory has been elusive for Cervinia in mixed-sex races, but against her own sex, she may be able to show her powerful form once again. Damian Lane will be aiming for a second straight Tokyo mile G1 victory, following last week’s NHK Mile Cup win on Rodeo Drive.

Expert Analysis & Selections

Masanobu Takahashi

Angle: New forces and repeat performers

The Victoria Mile has traditionally been known as a race that produces many repeat performers, with horses such as Sodashi, Normcore, Jour Polaire, Straight Girl, Verxina, Whale Capture and Buena Vista all finishing in the placings or winning in consecutive years. It is a trend that cannot be ignored when assessing this race.

However, Queen’s Walk is the only horse from last year’s top three who is set to run again, while the only other registered runners from last year’s race are Safira (13th), and Bond Girl (16th). Therefore, instead, it may be worth focusing on horses who have already run well over the Tokyo mile.

Lavanda finished second against male opposition in February’s G3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai (1600m), and she boasts a strong record at Tokyo of 5:1-2-1-1. She was well beaten when eighth in her trial, the G2 Hanshin Himba Stakes, but if that pushes her odds higher, she could be a horse to target.

From the four-year-old generation, Embroidery, winner of the G3 Queen Cup at Tokyo, and Jocelyn, are the two to note. Both have proven form in races run over the Tokyo.

Selections: #7 Queen’s Walk, #6 Lavanda, #12 Embroidery, #14 Jocelyn

Homan 

Angle: Last year’s classic form and course specialists

Fillies stepping up from three to four often struggle to maintain their consistency, but the 2025 crop may prove an exception. Embroidery, winner of the G1 Oka Sho and G1 Shuka Sho, and Kamunyak, the G1 Yushun Himba heroine, were the standout three-year-old fillies last season. Both have already demonstrated their ability against older mares in the G2 Hanshin Himba Stakes, finishing first and second respectively. That performance suggests they are well poised to make an impact at G1 level again, with Embroidery appearing better suited to mile contests compared to Kamunyak.

Lavanda should not be overlooked after her strong showing in the G2 Ireland Trophy last October. Although she finished eighth in the G2 Hanshin Himba Stakes, the Silver State mare is expected to rebound with a return to Tokyo Racecourse, where conditions may suit her better. 

Kana Tape is another notable Tokyo specialist, boasting an excellent record of 11 starts for 4 wins, 4 seconds, and 2 thirds. While only four mares aged six or older have finished in the top three over the past ten editions, the seven-year-old is still worth playing as a longshot.

Selections: #12 Embroidery, #8 Kamunyak, #6 Lavanda, #13 Kana Tape

Shuhei Uwabo

Angle: Recent form and the drop back in trip

Last year’s two-time Classic winner Embroidery produced a performance in the G2 Hanshin Himba Stakes that reaffirmed her quality. Although she raced prominently that day, she also has experience settling in mid-division, giving her tactical flexibility. Her G3 victory over this course in her first start as a three-year-old also leaves a favorable impression.

Fellow four-year-old and Oaks winner Kamunyak has met Embroidery three times in graded company, with one win and two defeats. She faded badly to finish a disappointing 16th in last autumn’s Shuka Sho, but she showed grit when finishing second in the Hanshin Himba Stakes last time out. Depending on the pace, she has a chance to turn the tables on Embroidery.

Last year’s runner-up Queen’s Walk comes into the race off a third-place finish in the G2 Kinko Sho. Since beginning her four-year-old campaign, she has raced exclusively over 2000m. Now dropping back to a mile on the same rotation as last year, she is hard to overlook.

I also want to highlight Jocelyn, who won a G3 at Kokura last time out. She has raced at Tokyo only once, in the spring of her three-year-old season, but she has never finished outside the top four in six career starts. Her momentum after a first graded stakes victory should not be underestimated.

Selections: #12 Embroidery, #8 Kamunyak, #7 Queen’s Walk, #14 Jocelyn

Steven Ho

Angle: Records on same course and distance

Embroidery won the G3 Daily Hai Queen Cup over Tokyo last year. Her most recent start is a victory in the important trial G2 Hanshin Himba Stakes. Her proven ability at Tokyo combined with strong recent form make her a leading candidate in this field.

Queen’s Walk finished second in this race last year and has recorded one win and one runner‑up over the same course and distance. Her consistent record at Tokyo and previous placing in this event make her difficult to ignore. Cervinia demonstrated stamina by winning the Japanese Oaks in 2024. She also captured the G3 Artemis Stakes over the same course as a two‑year‑old. Her proven stamina and versatility give her a solid profile for this race.

As a late bloomer, Nishino Ti Amo progressed from allowance races to winning group races last year. She broke her maiden over this course and distance. A valuable longshot to consider.

Selections: #12 Embroidery, #7 Queen’s Walk, #18 Cervinia, #16 Nishino Ti Amo

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