2024 February Stakes: Group 1 Review
Venue: Tokyo
Distance: 1600m
Value: ¥259,200,000 (approximately US$1.83 million)
Hidenori Take’s unheralded six-year-old and two-time Listed winner Peptide Nile had failed to place in three lesser Group races previously, but nailed this Group 1 at his first attempt, at odds of 38.0.
This was not a vintage renewal, it must be said. The Group 1 winner Dura Erede brought solid form to the contest, but the high-class Gaia Force and Champagne Color were trying dirt for the first time. Last year’s winner Lemon Pop was absent, with connections opting instead to take the Saudi Cup route.
That left the lightly-raced Omega Guiness as the 3.2 favourite ahead of expected Dubai World Cup contender Wilson Tesoro at 3.9. The former was never a factor, but the latter raced handily, stalking the front-running Don Frankie into the straight, yet he in turn was being shadowed by the wide-running Peptide Nile.
As the front two peaked and faded with 300 metres to race, Yusuke Fujioka drove Peptide Nile to the lead. Gaia Force kept on gradually to nick second at the line, a length and a quarter behind the winner, with the deep-closing Sekifu a neck back in third.
2024 February Stakes: Race Replay
What They Said
Yusuke Fujioka: “The pace was tough but (Peptide Nile) ran a great race. We were able to sit in a better position than expected, but I didn’t imagine he would take over the lead that early and that easily, the wire seemed very far today … As long as he’s able to run in good rhythm as he did today, I’m sure we can look forward to solid performances in the future.”
The Disappointment
Omega Guiness went into this race as one of the dirt racing division’s brightest young hopes, competing in the Reiko Hara pink silks made famous in recent years by the dirt track superstar Omega Perfume.
The four-year-old had raced only five times for three wins and two seconds, the latest being a career-best runner-up finish behind William Barows in the G2 Tokai Stakes. Such was his promise that champion Christophe Lemaire took the reins for trainer Naru Owada.
Omega Guiness was a bit tardy at the break, recovered quickly to race seventh on the outer, but never seemed to be travelling with much fluidity. Asked for an effort 400 metres out, the chestnut found nothing and folded tamely to 14th of 16.
