On Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse, Equinox ($4.90) won Japan’s richest race in the $6.5 million Arima Kinen at 1 9/16 miles. The win secured Equinox’s status as the champion 3-year-old male of 2022, and the likely title of Japan’s Horse of the Year.
Two weeks after he stormed clear to win his first start by five lengths, The Novelist will have his stakes debut in the Group 3 B.J. McLachlan Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at Doomben Racecourse in Australia on Friday evening across American time zones.
Second in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby in May, Equinox won his first start against older horses in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on Oct. 30. Those results left Equinox among the top selections in a fan ballot for the Grade 1, $6.5 million Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse on Sunday.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Saturday, December 24, 2022, at Sha Tin.
For a fifth-place finisher, Freedom Square ran very well in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Canterbury Racecourse in Australia on Dec. 9. The relatively narrow loss could lead to a better performance in the Coonabarabran Cup at a mile at Coonabarabran Racecourse on Thursday evening.
Nearly four months after he beat maidens in his fourth start, Par Five runs in a six-furlong handicap at Gosford Racecourse in Australia on Wednesday evening across American time zones that looks ideal for his stalking style.
The booking of big-race rider James McDonald is certain to draw attention to the gelding Unrelenting in a one-mile handicap at Warwick Farm in Australia on Tuesday evening across American time zones.
Declan Schuster's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at Happy Valley.
The Punisher (21-1) caught El Musical (7-2) in the final strides to win Saturday’s Group 1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini at San Isidro Racecourse in Argentina and earn a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 4.
Dolce More clinched the title of champion 2-year-old male in Japan with a narrow win in Sunday’s Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity at a mile at Hanshin Racecourse.
