test

Monroe Walk Seeks Fifth Straight Win

Monroe Walk enters the Shuka Sho as a leading contender, unbeaten with 4 wins from 4starts. The black filly by Kizuna missed the spring Classics after suffering a fracture, but has returned in impressive form since resuming racing in June.

After 2 victories at Hakodate over the summer, Monroe Walk stepped up to graded company in the G2 Rose Stakes at Hanshin on 13 September. Racing prominently, she pulled clear in the closing stages to defeat Enne by 3 lengths, announcing herself as a serious contender for her first G1 title.

The Rose Stakes win also followed a path by Fine Motion, who won the Shuka Sho in 2002 after using the same trial as her preparation. A Sunday win would make Monroe Walk the first unbeaten filly to win the race since Fine Motion, and the first since 2002 without prior Classic experience.

Trainer Hiroyuki Uemura indicated that Monroe Walk has continued to train well since her latest success. “She had the same workouts as before the Rose Stakes, and I don’t feel a need to push her more. As long as she can maintain her condition, the results will follow,” he said, as quoted by the Japan Racing Association (JRA). Keita Tosaki is expected to take the reins, having ridden the filly in 2 of her 4 starts.

Dream Core and Garavogue Bring Classic Form

Among the fillies with spring Classics experience, Dream Core and Garavogue stand out as major threats.

Dream Core, another daughter of Kizuna, finished second in the Japanese Oaks after a strong performance. She has 3 wins from 7 starts and has shown competitiveness across distances ranging from a mile to 2,400 metres. Her top-flight experience gives her a solid foundation, though the Shuka Sho will be her first Kyoto race.

Garavogue, meanwhile, was runner-up in both the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and the Oka Sho. The daughter of Lord Kanaloa was forced to miss the Japanese Oaks after developing phlegmon in her right foreleg, and the Shuka Sho will be her return to racing after over 6months.

Although her lack of a recent preparatory race and the 2,000-metre distance present a challenge, Garavogue has repeatedly demonstrated her prowess at the highest level. Trainer Haruki Sugiyama has been working with her at the starting gate to help keep her calm, while Kazuo Yokoyama is expected to partner her for the first time.

Master Soarer Arrives After Shion Stakes

Master Soarer is another contender whose route to the Shuka Sho has bypassed the spring Classics. The daughter of Siskin comes back after a long break following her 4th-place finish in the G3 Queen Cup in February.

She made an immediate impact on her return in September, winning the G2 Shion Stakes over 2,000 metres at Nakayama. The victory saw her overcome several challenges, including the longer distance, a right-handed course and heavy going.

Her trainer, Masayoshi Ebina, knows what it takes to win the Shuka Sho, having won it as a jockey aboard Apapane in 2010. He now has the opportunity to secure his first top-level victory as a trainer.

Kyoto’s Course May Shape the Outcome

With a post time of 3.40 PM JST (1:40 PM WIB), the Shuka Sho is run over 2,000 metres on Kyoto’s inner turf course, a layout that can reward tactical awareness. The starting gate is in front of the grandstand, with only around 300 metres before the first turn. The course also rises and falls along the backstretch before descending into the bend.

As the pace increases, runners can drift wide around the turn, potentially creating opportunities for horses and jockeys to save ground along the inside. A clean position early in the race and a well-timed move into the straight could therefore be crucial. The winner will not only claim one of Japan’s major autumn prizes but also establish herself as the leading three-year-old filly of the season.