2025 Takamatsunomiya Kinen: Group 1 Review
Venue: Chukyo Racecourse
Distance: 1200m
Value: ¥369,900,000 (US$2,464,973)
Joao Moreira’s return to Japan instantly paid dividends on Sunday as he guided Noriyuki Hori-trained Satono Reve to a strong victory in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) at Chukyo.
The Takamatsunomiya Kinen may not be the first JRA Group 1 race each year – that honour belongs to the February Stakes – but it kickstarts a bumper spring in Japan that culminates in the Takarazuka Kinen in mid-June. As one of two Japanese Group 1 races for sprinters, it crowns the best speedster of the first half of the year each season.
Satono Reve is likely to have further international targets in the weeks and months ahead.
THE RACE
From the middle of the line, Satono Reve jumped well and was in a forward spot early. Moreira was happy to ease back though as horses kicked up under him, including last year’s winner Mad Cool, G1 Sprinters’ Stakes (1200m) victor Lugal and longshots Win Greatest and Big Caesar.
On a windy day at Chukyo, Moreira buried Satono Reve in the pack, ensuring that he was protected by the wind from every angle. Meanwhile, Big Caesar ensured a strong enough tempo to give every horse their chance.
Lugal applied pressure early in the straight, but he was unable to kick clear and the ominous shadow of Mama Cocha – Sodashi’s baby sister – loomed large down the centre. As soon as she looked the likely winner, though, two figures ran into the race powerfully – Satono Reve off her heels and Namura Clair further out.
At the 100m, it looked as though Namura Clair was going to race on by and finally get that long-awaited Group 1 victory, but Moreira’s ride was timed to perfection and he sprinted strongly late to put almost a length on Namura Clair at the finish.
Mama Cocha just held third ahead of Toshin Macau.
THE WINNER
Satono Reve has emerged as Japan’s most consistent sprinter, only missing the top four once from 11 starts when a luckless seventh in last year’s Sprinters’ Stakes behind Lugal.
A winner of seven of his first nine starts, he broke his maiden on debut over 1600m but – apart from one attempt at 1400m – he has campaigned exclusively at 1200m.
He won a pair of Group 3 races last summer at Hakodate and Sapporo, while he managed to finish third in the Hong Kong Sprint last year.
As a lightly raced six-year-old, his best looks to be ahead of him.
THE RUNNER-UP
For the third year in a row, Namura Clair finished second. She was a length behind First Force in 2023, a head away from Mad Cool last year and then three-quarters of a length short this year.
Throw in two placings in the Sprinters’ Stakes, as well as a close-up fifth in that race in 2022, and she is the clearly the best sprinter in Japan yet to win a Group 1 race.
She has been Group 1-placed at a mile, although that was against three-year-olds, and it might be a case of waiting until the Sprinters’ Stakes in October.
THE FORM
Satono Reve provided another form boost to the imperious Ka Ying Rising, having finished a three-quarter length third in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at his most recent start. Ka Ying Rising then bolstered his remarkable record within a couple of hours, taking the G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin to set up his bid for the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m).
It perhaps is another pointer to Howdeepisyourlove, placed behind Ka Ying Rising at his last couple of starts, when he contests the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) next weekend.
THE STATISTIC
Satono Reve became the third Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner for Lord Kanaloa, joining Danon Smash (2021) and First Force (2023). Lord Kanaloa won this race in 2013, having finished third in 2012, and the race has become a fitting celebration of the greatest sprinter Japan has produced.
THE QUOTE
Joao Moreira (jockey, Satono Reve, 1st): “He’s such a good horse, he’s been indicating that for a long time. His run in Hong Kong last year was superb, he just needed to bring that type of form here in order to be competitive. I was just blessed to be jumping on him at the right time and blessed to have another Group 1 winner here in Japan.
“Mr. Hori never gives me instructions, he knows that I know the horse and have ridden him a few times. That makes a jockey’s job so much easier. We sat down and did the form together, we knew where we wanted to be and it worked out. He got into the perfect position and was able to finish strongly when we switched out at the 250m.
“The track was playing fairly but there was a lot of wind which affected many of the runners. We got lucky that where we were, we weren’t affected.”
Noriyuki Hori (trainer, Satono Reve, 1st): “I am truly overwhelmed with emotion to once again win a G1 race together with Mr. Satomi, who always supports us, and jockey Joao Moreira.
“The horse remained calm both in the saddling enclosure and the paddock, and his first stride into a canter before the warm-up was excellent. At that moment, I felt that I had done my job properly as a trainer. Of course, anything can happen in horse racing, but at that point I was very satisfied.
“Today, the wind was definitely the key factor, so we discussed positioning while taking that into account. Once a clear path opened up for him, I was able to watch him with peace of mind. I think he was able to deliver his best effort.”
Christophe Lemaire (jockey, Namura Clair, 2nd): “It’s disappointing that she didn’t win because she deserves it, but she ran so well as she always does.”
THE FUTURE
Satono Reve is likely to have a rematch with Ka Ying Rising in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, while Namura Clair and Mama Cocha may step up to a mile for the G1 Victoria Mile (1600m) against fillies and mares ∎
