Tower of London stands tall at Sprinters Stakes in Japan

Tower Of London gained a breakthrough first G1 victory with another exhilarating display in the Sprinters Stakes over six furlongs at Nakayama, Japan, on Sunday.

The Kazuo Fujisawa-trained four-year-old, who lowered the course record for the same distance at Hanshin with a sensational victory in the G2 Centaur Stakes earlier this month, broke well and was held up in 11th of the 16 runners early on by Christophe Lemaire.

He started to make eye-catching headway around the field turning for home and showed an excellent turn of foot to go third with a furlong to race.

Tower Of London continued to make relentless headway, with the Raven’s Pass colt collaring long-time leader Mozu Superflare near the line to win by half a length in a quick time of 1m 7.1s on firm turf.

Harry Sweeney, President of Godolphin in Japan, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with Tower Of London. We had about 10 of our staff at the track today and there was fantastic excitement.

“Tower Of London had proven himself to be an exceptional athlete before today, having established two track record times earlier this year. However, he needed to win a G1 race to cement his position as one of Japan’s top sprinters and he did so in great style. With two G2 races to his name already this year, he is now very much in the running for champion honours at the end of the season.

“Christophe Lemaire was very pleased with the horse today and reported that he moved really well. He has adapted very well to being brought back to sprinting and we feel that he is improving with every run. We will keep him at this distance for the immediate future.

“We will consult with the trainer over the next few days and make a tentative plan. Today’s race was a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders Cup, so we will need to decide on that very soon. Tower Of London will remain in training next year and it is very likely that he will travel abroad. Having a really nice horse like him will shorten the winter for us.”

Meanwhile, Bivouac claimed a breakthrough G1 victory and a place among a cavalcade of Godolphin stars with a determined victory in Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose at Rosehill.

And the colt who had carved out a prominent place among the Australian stable’s vintage juvenile crop of last season has laid claim to the title of the country’s best three-year-old with a performance that combined courage and brilliance.

“I’d have to say he’s the best six-furlong three-year-old in the country and we’ve taught him to run seven furlongs,” said trainer James Cummings.

Bivouac is now one of at least three Godolphin candidates for the world’s richest turf race, the $14 million The Everest run at Randwick next month, along with Alizee and Osborne Bulls.

Thought will also be given to the G1 Coolmore Stakes at Flemington in November, but next month’s G1 Caulfield Guineas is, for now at least, regarded as being beyond his distance range.

“He’s probably too brilliant for the Guineas, but he’ll look good in anything we run him in,” the trainer said.

The win is the sixth in the Golden Rose for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Godolphin who have won it with Paratroopers in 2005, Forensics in 2008, Denman in 2009 and Epaulette in 2012 in the Sheikh’s maroon and white with Exosphere (2015) and Astern (2016) in the royal blue.

For Cummings, Bivouac provided a second success in a race he won in partnership with his grandfather Bart with now Darley stallion, Hallowed Crown in 2014.

Bivouac travelled comfortably outside the lead until challenged by Yes Yes Yes at the 250m.

But jockey Hugh Bowman called for an extra effort and Bivouac responded courageously, edging clear again in the final few strides.  Yes Yes Yes held on for second with Exceedance in third place.

Cummings gave praise to his team whose devotion he said had been vital to their latest G1 success.

“It was just perfection over the past six weeks how the team has worked with him,” he said.

“He’s a rare horse and an absolute pleasure to have in the stable.”

Bowman added to the acclaim, suggesting Bivouac had much more to offer.

“He’s a G1-winning colt who has plenty more to give this spring,” he said.

“The way he relaxed today and then the way he fought it out was something only a special horse can do.”

While Bivouac will be the horse to beat in the three-year-old sprints, a classics contender emerged in Subedar whose second placing to Shadow Hero in the G3 Gloaming Stakes suggested the G1 Spring Champion Stakes is within his scope.

“He didn’t have a clear run in the final stages and the winner is obviously a very good horse,” said his rider Kerrin McEvoy.