From the start of his career, Justin Palace has thrived at long-distance races in Japan.
Justin Palace began his career in September 2021 with a win in a maiden race for 2-year-old first-time starters at 1 1/4 miles at Chukyo Racecourse.
Well into Justin Palace’s 4-year-old season, the theme is unchanged.
Justin Palace is a true stayer, and displayed his stamina with a win in Sunday’s spring running of the Grade 1 Tenno Sho at two miles at Kyoto Racecourse.
The two-race winning streak Charlotting compiled in Australia in April will be tested when the 3-year-old filly starts at a higher class level in a one-mile handicap at Gunnedah Racecourse on Monday evening.
Charlotting was beaten in her first three starts, sprints at 5 1/2 furlongs to seven furlongs, but won two races at a mile in April – a maiden race at Tamworth and a first-condition handicap at Narromine.
Charlotting closed from third to win at Tamworth and led throughout the race at Narromine.
It looked more like an exhibition than three Group 1 races on Sunday at Sha Tin, where heavy favorites made short work of the competition and Golden Sixty made some history.
Golden Sixty became the first three-time winner of the $2.55 Champions Mile while winning his ninth Group 1 contest, a Hong Kong record. Victory boosted his career earnings to $18,844,782, more than any horse ever.
The first Group 1 race of the European flat-racing season came up a first-rate contest.
Vadeni ended his 2022 campaign with a second-place finish in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and begins his 2023 season Sunday at Longchamp in the Prix Ganay. An Aga Khan homebred by Churchill out of the Monsun mare Vaderana, Vadeni finished second by a half-length to Alpinista in the Arc following a third in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes and wins in the Group 1 Eclipse in England and the Group 1 French Derby.
The lightly raced gelding Swift Charm has a career trending in the right direction in Australia.
A winner of 2 of 4 starts, Swift Charm will start as a solid favorite in a handicap at 6 1/4 furlongs at Taree Racecourse on Sunday evening in his second start since January.
Maximum Vortex was a 12-1 surprise winner of a maiden race in his career debut at Grafton Racecourse in Australia on April 18. There will be little suspense if the Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old gelding wins again in a handicap at about six furlongs at Grafton on Saturday evening.
Maximum Vortex was the 2-1 co-favorite in early betting on Friday along with Bonjour Rupert, who has not raced since November.
There are but 24 entrants combined in the three Group 1 races Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong. Four Japan-based horses shipped for the card, called Champions Day, as well as two horses each from Europe and Australia – all in all, not an especially compelling turnout.
