World Premiere becomes the third winner of the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) in the last four years for his late sire Deep Impact who completed Japan’s triple crown when successful in the race in 2005. World Premiere’s dam Mandela was third in the Preis der Diana (German Oaks) and a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Manduro.Deep Impact is also the sire of runner-up Satono Lux whose dam Escuchar won the Fillies’ Mile.Favourite Velox, by Just A Way, finishes third, meaning he has been placed in all three legs of the triple crown. Like the winner, he’s from a German family, his dam Selkis a winner of the Group 2 Diana-Trial.A crowded paddock before the big race.Publicity for the Kikuka Sho in Kyoto’s subway.Japan’s St Leger has been named the Kikuka Sho since 1948. ‘Kikuka’ means chrysanthemum.Outriders in the paddock.Another winner for Deep Impact on the card was L’Excellence, winner of the 1800m contest for unraced two-year-olds. His dam Xcellence won the Prix Imprudence and finished third in both fillies’ classics in France.Kyoto’s vast stand.The 80th running of the Kikuka Sho was watched by a crowd of 55,452.Japan’s racing fans have plenty of merchandise to choose from.A memorial, with offerings, to 1992 Kikuka Sho winner Rice Shower who also twice won the Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto.
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[…] World Premiere’s Kikuka Sho […]
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