|
|
Gold Ship succeeds at third attempt in Tenno Sho Spring While punters favored the come-backing 2013 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (Jpn-G1) hero Kizuna (Deep Impact) in the famed Tenno Sho Spring (Jpn-G1) Sunday, in the end it was the ever-reliable Gold Ship (Stay Gold) who would pull through at Kyoto to record his sixth Grade 1 win. Winner of the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas) (Jpn-G1), Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) (Jpn-G1) and Arima Kinen (Jpn-G1) three years ago, Gold Ship had contested this event the last two years but hadn't managed to finish better than fifth. Both his previous efforts have been bookended by victories in the Hanshin Daishoten (Jpn-G2) and Takarazuka Kinen (Jpn-G1), however, and having won the former again March 22, the classy gray will likely aim for a monumental triple in June. Dropping back to last early despite being hustled by jockey Norihiro Yokoyama leaving the inside gate, Gold Ship angled to the outside the first time past the stands and made up a few positions, leaving Kizuna to trail the field. Sensing a moderate pace up front, Gold Ship and Yokoyama made a sweeping move down the backstretch to sit about three lengths off the lead and three wide into the final turn. Wound up by Yokoyama at the top of the lane, the gray needed the length of the stretch to run down Curren Mirotic (Heart's Cry), and found the wire in the nick of time as Fame Game (Heart's Cry) came with a late charge. "I was thinking of going to the front if he started well, which obviously was not the case," Yokoyama explained. "From there on I just concentrated on following the pace and was careful not to turn him off. In the straight, he really showed his stamina and perseverance. "He's often said to be unsuited to Kyoto Racecourse, but I think it's just that he's not a handy type of horse and needs a skilled rider to guide him." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
