Classic test awaits Darlington Hall in G1 Japanese 2,000 Guineas

Darlington Hall takes on the best three-year-old colts in Japan as he steps up to G1 level for the Satsuki Sho, the Japanese 2,000 Guineas, at Nakayama, Japan, on Sunday.

The son of New Approach announced himself as a contender for classic honours with a battling nose verdict on his seasonal return in the nine-furlong G3 Kyodo News Hai at Tokyo in February.

Darlington Hall made a winning debut for the trainer Tetsuya Kimura over nine furlongs at Hakodate in July and was third on both his other juvenile starts, including when going down by three lengths in the G3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes over the same trip at the end of the August.

Harry Sweeney, President of Godolphin in Japan, said: “According to the JRA ratings, there are six horses in this race with a higher rating than Darlington Hall. But ratings are of course a very imprecise science and there will be much to play for on Sunday.

“Both Contrail and Salios were G1 winners last year and are clearly very talented, but both will be having their first runs of the year. Contrail is additionally handicapped by being drawn in stall one. Satono Flag was imperious in his last outing and is a very significant danger.

“Darlington Hall is approaching the race in very good form. He had a very minor hold up about two weeks ago but is well over that now and has worked very pleasingly during the week. He won the G3 Kyodo News Hai on his last outing on good ground and, as rain is forecast for the Tokyo area on Saturday, we are hoping that the ground will again be good and not firm. Mirco Demuro, who has relocated from Ritto Training Centre to the JRA facility in Miho, will be riding him for the first time and will be keen to impress.”

Wild Card seeks to put a disappointing first Graded-race appearance behind him in the G3 Antares Stakes over nine furlongs on dirt at Hanshin.

The Tetsuya Kimura-trained six-year-old, who has raced on dirt throughout his career, failed to beat a rival in the G3 March Stakes over the same trip on Tuesday, 31 March. He also trailed home last on his only other previous appearance at Nakayama in the Risshi Stakes in December, 2018.

Away from Nakayama, Wild Card boasts an excellent record with six wins and four placings, headed by a length and a quarter success on his penultimate start in the nine-furlong Listed Betelgeuse Stakes at Hanshin in December.

Sweeney said: “Wild Card flopped badly on his latest start and finished last of 16 runners despite starting as second favourite. Neither the trainer nor the jockey were able to explain that very disappointing performance but it is interesting to note that his only other poor run in a 13-race career was also at Nakayama. If his two Nakayama runs are ignored, he has won or finished in the first four in every other start.

“This weekend, he will be running at Hanshin where he has won two of his previous three starts including a Listed event last December over the same course and distance. His regular jockey Hiroshi Kitamura was initially declared to ride him but subsequently suffered an injury while riding at the training centre and has been ruled out. Mirai Iwata will now be in the irons. Though still an apprentice, Iwata rides really well and has impressed us and we are not at all concerned with the late change.

“Wild Card has patiently worked his way through all the classes in the JRA and is now limited to running in Listed and Graded races. His last outing was in fact his first ever run in a Group race, which is interesting for a horse who has already won more than $1,000,000, and it is as yet unproven that Wild Card can in fact be competitive in the very top class.

“His most recent work was acceptable but not spectacular and his bad run last time is certainly in the back of our minds. Nevertheless, on the balance of his career to date, we are hopeful that he can make amends.”