There will far more horses than racing fans when the Group 1, $2.53 million Takamatsunomiya Kinen is run Sunday at Chukyo Racecourse outside Nagoya, Japan.

Paul Lally:

R1 1-3-5-4

R2 4-5-3-6

R3 9-3-2-1

R4 8-12-5-13

R5 5-6-2-12

R6 1-2-8-13

R7 13-7-8-2

R8 6-1-12-13

R9 6-4-13-9

R10 5-7-3-12

Best Bet R10 N5 Duke Wai

Longshot R9 N6 Right Choice

Play Race9 4-6-13

Tom Wood:

R1:      1 – 8 – 4 – 6

R2:      3 – 4 – 6 – 5

R3:      9 – 3 – 1 – 2

R4:      10 – 8 – 12 – 7
R5:      6 – 5 – 7 – 2

None of the leading points earners in the Japanese Road to the Derby are entered to contest the series’ final leg, the Fukuryu Stakes on Saturday at Nakayama Racecourse, but the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8 miles) dirt contest still drew some talented horses.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, March 29, 2020)

A plane carrying 27 North American-based Thoroughbred racehorses was bound for Newark Liberty International Airport from Dubai on Thursday.

Ten of the horses had shipped just last week from the U.S. to start on the Dubai World Cup card on March 28. That racing program was canceled by the Dubai government on March 22 over concerns regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Meydan Racecourse, site of the World Cup, had been racing spectator-free since earlier this month.

Verry Elleegant and Avilius, second and third in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes on March 21, are back in action again this weekend as the leading candidates for Saturday’s Group 1 Tancred Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Rosehill Gardens, near Sydney, Australia.

The $894,000 Tancred Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf is run at a distance that should suit Verry Elleegant, a 5-year-old mare trained by Chris Waller. Verry Elleegant won the Group 1 ATC Oaks at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Randwick last April, the only time she has raced at the distance in her 18-race career.

Both Ireland and South Africa planned to cease all live racing operations as of March 27 as the countries’ governments announced strict measures for citizens to stay at home to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

Both countries had been conducting racing spectator-free, but the new orders to shut down will have racetracks in the countries closed until at least mid-April.

Paul Lally:

R1: 1-2-12-3
R2: 3-5-1-2
R3: 10-1-4-9
R4: 8-6-3-11
R5: 2-6-10-3
R6: 4-2-1-7
R7: 7-3-6-5
R8: 6-3-8-2

Best Bet: R7 N7 Naboo Star
Long: R3 N10 Island Winner
Play: R7 QQP 3-7-6

Tom Wood:

R1: 1 – 12 – 2 – 3
R2: 1 – 3 – 2 – 8
R3: 3 – 1 – 4 – 9
R4: 6 – 8 – 3 – 2
R5: 3 – 2 – 6 – 10
R6: 1 – 2 – 7 – 4
R7: 3 – 7 – 6 – 4
R8: 6 – 7 – 8 – 3

“Getting home” can be a racing term used to denote a horse winning a race. The phrase has gathered deeper implications this week in Dubai.

Suddenly, the competition for leading rider in Hong Kong is very close.

Through March 17, Joao Moreira had a four-race lead on Zac Purton. Two programs later, after Sunday’s Hong Kong Derby card at Sha Tin, Purton had narrowed Moreira’s advantage to one by winning five races at Happy Valley last Wednesday and at Sha Tin on Sunday compared to two wins in those days for Moreira.