Give Hong Kong invaders edge at Tokyo

There are no standouts in Sunday's $2.1 million Yasuda Kinen, a Grade 1 mile at Tokyo that was won the last two years by Vodka and in 2007 by Daiwa Major. A year earlier the race fell to Hong Kong invader Bullish Luck, and without a major hometown candidate, this year's running could go to one of the three Hong Kong raiders.

Fellowship, Beauty Flash and Sight Winner finished second, third and fourth behind Able One in the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin on April 25, and that form looks superior to anything compiled by their 15 Japanese rivals. The Paul O'Sullivan-trained Fellowship was previously second to Happy Zero in the seven-furlong, Group 1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup and had won the one-mile, Group 1 Stewards Cup earlier this winter at Sha Tin. He is the selection over the Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Flash.

The leading Japanese hopes, Reach the Crown, Triumph March and Captain Thule, finished in that order in the Grade 2 Yomiuri Milers Cup at Hanshin on April 17. Any one of them has a license to win the Yasuda Kinen, but this year Hong Kong mile form looks like it will trump its Japanese equivalent.