Takeover Target favored in Centaur

Australian raider Takeover Target appears to have his Japanese rivals over a barrel at Chukyo Racecourse in Sunday's Grade 2, $995,000 , a six-furlong turf dash that serves as the fifth leg of the Global Sprint Challenge.

Owned and trained by Joe Janiak, Takeover Target leads the series by virtue of victories in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington and the Group 2 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was also third in the Sprint Challenge's Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes, and although he was seventh last time in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket, the Takeover Target should be good enough to hold his 17 Centaur rivals at bay. Regular rider Jay Ford has the call.

A trio of distaffers pose the biggest threat to Takeover Target. She Is Tosho, winner of the Grade 3 CBC Sho over the Centaur course and distance in June, is preferred to complete the exacta over two other Grade 3 sprint winners, Cosmo Fortune and Sachino Sweetie.