2023 Japan Cup Tips

For those wanting to understand why Equinox is trading at such a short price to win the Japan Cup, consider that the horse has secured a victory in five successive races. The Tenno Sho saw the runner score as the 8/5 favourite over one mile and two furlongs, with this being followed up by a success in the Arima Kinen at Nakayama.

Then came the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic where the Tetsuya Kimura-trained charge was able to oblige as the even money favourite in Meydan, with the horse then claiming even more prize money when obliging in the Takarazuka Kinen. Then came another victory in the Tenno Sho and this all explains why the horse is strong favourite to win.

Liberty Island can’t be underestimated after delivering the goods on a frequent basis since 11 December 2022, with the horse winning the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies race at Japan Racecourse, with the horse then winning the Japanese 1,000 Guineas which was a smart performance in a Grade One encounter.

A lovely turn of pace was in evidence in the Yushun Himba when the horse was able to score by six lengths as the 2/5 favourite. There wasn’t too much to be gleaned from another facile win in the Shuka Sho, while Titleholder could be an attractive each-way bet and has produced some smart performances in recent times.

2022 Japan Cup Tips

Shahryar was victorious in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic over one mile and four furlongs. This was a performance that clearly demonstrated the four-year-old’s credentials and the win in March could well be replicated when it comes to the 2022 Japan Cup. An experiment to bring the horse over to England wasn’t really effective but he’s back to chase the money in this famous race.

Perhaps Danon Beluga offers a better bet, with the horse having run impressively when finishing in third place in the Tenno Sho on 30 October. There was little over a length between the horse and favourite Equinox, with the former having beaten Shahryar who finished fifth in the same race.

Previously to this, Danon Beluga was sent off as the 5/2 favourite to win the Tokyo Yushun on 29 May 2022, although jockey Yuga Kawada could only steer the horse to fourth and perhaps the two market leaders can be opposed. After all, Vela Azul really caught the eye when winning the Kyoto Daishoten and that was over one mile and four furlongs.

Vela Azul can currently be backed each-way and a profit could still be realised by a horse trained by Kunihiko Watanabe, with the first three in the betting far more fancied by the Japanese horse racing bookies than the other contenders. Onesto finished midfield in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and has more improvement to find.

The Japan Cup features prominently on the Japanese horse racing calendar, with the race taking place towards the end of the year. Many top trainers target this race as having the potential to land a large sum of prize money, with the event comparing favourably with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Melbourne Cup and the Breeders' Cup.

There have been winners from Japan, North America, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy since the horse race first took place in 1981, with horses needing to qualify for the race by virtue of winning or placing in a significant horse race before it comes to the Japan Cup.

However, the Japan Cup has been dominated by Japanese horses over the past few years. Since Alkaased won the race in 2005 for trainer Luca Cumani, with Frankie Dettori on board, overseas raiders have been beaten by home-grown horses, with Contrail landing a victory in 2021.

Almond Eye was the winner in 2020 and this horse previously landed a victory in 2018, with Gentildonna having scored as a three-year-old in 2012 before coming back to Tokyo Racecourse and claiming a victory in 2013.