Croix du Nord, winner of the 2025 Japanese Derby, overcame an outside draw in a field of 15 to win the third Grade 1 race of his career in Sunday’s $3.6 million Osaka Hai at 1 1/4 miles at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan.
Ridden by Yuichi Kitamura, Croix du Nord raced wide throughout. Croix du Nord, who paid $4.40 as the favorite in American pools, moved into second in early stretch in pursuit of pacesetter Meisho Tabaru, who led by about two lengths.
A low weight assignment was not the primary reason the Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old filly Sheza Alibi won her first start against older males in Saturday’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia.
Carrying 108 pounds, 21 less than topweight Gringotts, Sheza Alibi swept into contention with a wide rally and won the $3.85 million Doncaster Mile by a remarkable 4 1/4 lengths under jockey Jamie Melham.
Paul Lally:
R1 1-4-14-5
R2 3-1-5-11
R3 4-3-7-1
R4 2-1-3-8
R5 1-7-8-12
R6 1-8-12-4
R7 1-2-5-3
R8 2-4-6-8
R9 5-1-8-10
R10 4-8-5-10
R11 7-3-11-4
Best Bet R5 N1 Mr Incredible
Longshot R3 N4 Lucky Year
Play Race11 3-7-11
Tom Wood:
R1: 9-1-4-2
R2: 1-5-3-8
R3: 3-2-1-8
R4: 2-1-3-8
R5: 7-1-8-6
R6: 4-1-12-8
R7: 1-2-3-4
R8: 2-8-6-4
R9: 8-5-1-3
R10: 4-8-10-9
R11: 7-6-4-3
Danon Decile and Croix du Nord, winners of the 2024 and 2025 Japanese Derby, will deservedly draw ample attention for their first starts of 2026 in Sunday’s Grade 1 Osaka Hai for older horses at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan.
They could have a tough time, however, catching the speedy Meisho Tabaru, who is unbeaten in three career starts at Hanshin.
The Osaka Hai is the first Grade 1 turf race of the season for middle-distance runners in Japan. The race drew a field of 15 and has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.
By Declan Schuster
After setting a new record for consecutive wins by a Hong Kong-trained horse, Zac Purton remains supremely confident Ka Ying Rising (128lb) can extend his unbeaten streak in Easter Monday’s (6 April) HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin.
Paul Lally:
R1 3-8-6-9
R2 8-10-3-4
R3 4-1-13-10
R4 2-1-12-11
R5 2-6-3-8
R6 1-3-8-10
R7 6-11-3-4
R8 10-7-6-5
R9 8-2-7-9
Best Bet R3 N4 Never Peter Out
Longshot R8 N10 Young Arrow
Play R4 QQP 1-2-12
Mark McNamara:
R1 - 3.6.12.8
R2 - 8.10.13.2
R3 - 13.10.4.14
R4 - 2.3.12.1
R5 - 7.2.13.5
R6 - 8.3.4.6
R7 - 6.11.10.3
R8 - 6.4.5.1
R9 - 2.7.10.8
By Declan Schuster
Frankie Lor led last season’s dirt course standings with 10 wins and, on Wednesday night (1 April) at Sha Tin, the trainer is represented by a formidable outfit in seven of the nine races as apprentice Nichola Yuen makes her debut in Hong Kong with five rides.
Lor has only one dirt track win this campaign, although he is aiming to rectify that at tomorrow’s all-dirt programme when the twice-placed, lightly raced One Man Show (133lb) tackles the first section of the Class 4 Ma Tau Wai Handicap (1200m).
By Paul Ryding
Mark Newnham’s marvellous March continued at Sha Tin on Sunday (29 March) when the Australian handler snared a treble that saw him return to the top of the trainers’ championship.
The third-year trainer claimed his first HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) triumph earlier this month, comfortably the biggest win of his Hong Kong career. On 18 March, he saddled the first quintet of his career.
Sunday’s treble fired him back to the trainers’ standings summit on 45 wins, two clear of Caspar Fownes on 43. Danny Shum sits two wins back on 41.
