Masquerade Ball, Meisho Tabaru, and Tastiera are the comeback boys in Sunday’s Grade 1 autumn running of the Tenno Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.

Masquerade Ball has not raced since a second-place finish by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo on June 1.

Meisho Tabaru, a 4-year-old colt, won the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at 1 3/8 miles at Hanshin Racecourse on June 15 in his latest appearance. He is expected to take his customary position at the front.

By Leo Schlink

Mark Newnham’s stellar season continued to gather momentum when the Australian horseman notched a double at Sha Tin’s all-dirt meeting on Thursday night (30 October) to extend his lead in the 2025/26 trainers’ championship.

The first trainer to reach the 20-victory mark this season with the successes of New Forest and Notthesillyone, Newnham increased the buffer over Caspar Fownes (14) to six after 15 meetings with David Hayes (13) and Danny Shum (11) next.

The remarkable aspect surrounding the early career of the Australian filly Autumn Glow is trainer Chris Waller’s assessment of her undefeated record after seven starts.

“We don’t know good she is yet,” Waller recently told the Australian press.

Paul Lally: 
R1 2-3-5-4 
R2 12-6-3-2 
R3 2-11-1-3 
R4 1-3-9-13 
R5 9-10-3-11 
R6 1-8-14-2 
R7 11-7-1-2 
R8 5-4-1-6 
Best Bet R4 N1 Reliable Profit
Longshot R3 N2 New power 
Play Race7 QQP 1-7-11 

Tom Wood:
R1: 3-13-2-4 
R2: 8-4-3-12 
R3: 3-4-10-8 
R4: 12-1-3-13 
R5: 3-11-1-6 
R6: 2-1-4-6 
R7: 1-4-6-7 
R8: 6-5-1-4 
Best Bet: R5 N3 VULCANUS (WIN)
VALUE: R8 N6 YOUNG ACHIEVER (EW)
PLAY: R8 QQP 1,5,6 

By Declan Schuster

Mark Newnham is sailing through the 2025/26 Hong Kong racing season with flying colours and the Australian trainer, who has 12 wins in October, takes a five-strong team to Thursday night’s (30 October) eight-race all-dirt programme at Sha Tin. 

Leading the trainers’ championship with 18 wins – four clear of nearest rival Caspar Fownes (14) – Newnham heads into Thursday’s fixture aiming to extend his streak to 13 consecutive race meetings with at least a winner.

Sha Tin Selections
(Thursday, October 30, 2025)

Tomodachi Kokoroe (115lb) sensationally catapulted himself into LONGINES Hong Kong International Races reckoning after running the second-fastest 1200m time in Hong Kong racing history to scoop the HK$5.35 million G2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (26 October).

The only horse to ever run 1200m faster in Hong Kong is Tomodachi Kokoroe’s stablemate Ka Ying Rising, the world’s top-rated sprinter.

Energico missed the Grade 1 Japanese Derby on June 1 because of illness. He made up for his absence from that classic race with his second graded stakes win in Sunday’s Kikuka Sho for 3-year-old colts and fillies at the testing distance of 1 7/8 miles at Kyoto Racecourse.

Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, Energico had no trouble with the longest race of his career.

There was no course record, but the result was the same as last year.

Via Sistina won Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, to confirm her place as the nation’s leading older horse.

In 2024, Via Sistina won the Cox Plate in record time of 2:01.07 for about 1 1/4 miles on turf. On Saturday, Via Sistina (who was favored and paid $4.20 in American pools) was timed in 2:05.03. Both races were run on good turf.

Paul Lally: 
R1 3-7-11-1 
R2 10-1-2-6 
R3 5-13-2-6 
R4 5-7-9-4 
R5 3-7-14-1 
R6 2-4-8-10 
R7 2-7-1-10 
R8 4-1-13-5 
R9 9-10-11-1 
R10 7-1-10-4 
Best Bet R7 N2 Gentlemen Legacy 
Longshot R9 N9 Chill Buddy 
Plays R10 1-7-10