Latest news with #VictoriaMile
Japan Forward
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Victoria Mile: Ascoli Piceno Secures Victory with Tremendous Burst of Speed
Jockey Christophe Lemaire claimed his 54th JRA Grade 1 title and took sole possession of the record for most Victoria Mile wins (four). Ascoli Piceno, piloted by Christophe Lemaire, wins the 20th Victoria Mile on May 18, 2025, at Tokyo Racecourse. (©KYODO) Race favorite Ascoli Piceno was victorious in the 20th Victoria Mile on Sunday, May 18. It was her fifth graded title following the 1351 Turf Sprint (G2, 1,351 meters) on February 22 in Saudi Arabia. The daughter of Daiwa Major was unbeaten in her three starts as a 2-year-old, including the Niigata Nisai Stakes (G3, 1,600 meters) and the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1, 1,600 meters), which earned her the season's Best Two-Year-Old Filly title in 2023. Her victory in the Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse gave trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa his second JRA G1 title. Jockey Christophe Lemaire scored his 54th JRA G1 title. For Lemaire, Sunday's effort produced his fourth Victoria Mile title — the most in JRA history — after previous victories aboard Admire Lead (2017), Almond Eye (2020) and Gran Alegria (2021). Keita Tosaki has three wins in the race. Ascoli Piceno (17) is seen with a slim lead at the end of the race.(©SANKEI) Ascoli Piceno was eased back after the whole field broke in a straight line then led by Alice Verite (Kenichi Ikezoe's ride), who opened the gap from the rest of the field along the backstretch. Positioned well back in second from last before attempting to make headway through the last two corners and caught behind traffic soon after entering the straight, Lemaire shifted his mount to the outside. And he gave the filly the green light. The Daiwa Major filly responded with terrific speed as soon as she hit the top of the hill for a victory by a neck's length. ( Watch the race on the JRA's YouTube channel .) Winning jockey Christophe Lemaire (©SANKEI) "The break wasn't too sharp and it took some effort to get her into the speed," Lemaire said after the race. "I did have a little concern [about] how the filly would perform as the race favorite starting from an outside stall. But she did have plenty of energy left when needed. "And, while it did take her some time to reach her top speed, I was thrilled by how she showed her mental strength and potential in fighting to the very end." In the 20th running of the Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse, Ascoli Piceno's path to victory was navigated on the outside. (JRA/via SANKEI) Queen's Walk, unhurried and settling in the middle to near rear in a field of 17, angled out for the stretch run under Yuga Kawada, and accelerated impressively to reach contention soon after the 200-meter pole. She was the first to pin Alice Verite in a multiple-horse rally with just 50 meters to go before being outrun by the winner from the outside in the last stride. Shirankedo (Mirco Demuro) traveled well off the pace, third from last inside the eventual winner, up to the last corner. Opting to wait for an opening down the center lane down the straight while the top two finishers angled out at the early stretch, the 5-year-old Declaration of War mare turned in a terrific finishing speed, the fastest in the race, from 100 meters out to gain third place. Argine (Damian Lane) and Alice Verite placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Second favorite Bond Girl (Yutaka Take) was 16th. The Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) is the JRA's next G1 race on May 25 at Tokyo Racecourse. Read the full report , including details on each of the Victoria Mile entrants, on JRA News. Author: JRA News
South China Morning Post
18-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Ascoli Piceno gets up late in Victoria Mile thriller while Lead Artist dazzles at Newbury
Ascoli Piceno got up in the final strides to deny ownermate Queen's Walk in a thrilling finish to the Group One Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday. Rank outsider Alice Verite took the field along at a frantic gallop with $2.7 favourite Ascoli Piceno settled dead last, just behind Queen's Walk. At the 400m pole it looked as though Alice Verite may cling on for a remarkable upset, but her strides shortened and those held-up – including Ascoli Piceno, Queen's Walk and Shirankedo – lashed home in the dash to the line. Queen's Walk was the first to hit the front, but Christophe Lemaire timed things to perfection on Ascoli Piceno, who flew home down the outside to pinch the prize in the final bounds. 【🇯🇵 Victoria Mile (G1), Tokyo, 1600m, 4yo&up F & M, approx US$ 2m】 Winner: Ascoli Piceno(JPN) J: Christophe Lemaire T: Yoichi Kuroiwa Sire: Daiwa Major Dam: Ascolti#ヴィクトリアマイル は、#アスコリピチェーノ が優勝！！ — JRA World Racing (@JRA_WorldRacing) May 18, 2025 Shirankedo was blocked on multiple occasions when trying to weave a passage in the home straight and could go down as an unlucky loser back in third. It was a first win in the race for trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa, while Lemaire was winning the race for a record-extending fourth time. Damian Lane, who won the Group One Tenno Sho (3,200m) two weeks ago, was not beaten far into fourth on Argine, who was another to benefit from the honest gallop. Elsewhere, Lead Artist lowered the colours of Dancing Gemini and Rosallion with a power-packed performance in the Group One Lockinge Stakes (1,600m) at Newbury on Saturday. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. The Dubawi colt was a bitter disappointment when beaten out of sight by $2.6 favourite Dancing Gemini in the Group Two Sandown Mile last month, but he reversed the placings in no uncertain terms with a game performance. Ridden by champion jockey Oisin Murphy, Lead Artist stalked the pace throughout the journey before taking up the lead with 200m to race. He was challenged and passed by Dancing Gemini soon after, but Murphy galvanised his mount and charged back to the lead in the final strides to win going away. Rosallion, a three-time Group One winner making his comeback following an injury-induced absence, was left in the breeze throughout the race and ultimately failed to pick up as expected under Ryan Moore. As usual, Moore did not leave Newbury empty-handed, cashing in with a double on Aramram in the Class Two Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap (1,200m) and Solar Army for Dancing Gemini's trainer Roger Teal in the Class Three World Pool Handicap (1,600m). Too good J-Mac! He lifts Sunshine In Paris to victory in the Doomben 10,000 💪 @mcacajamez @ANeashamRacing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025 In Australia, the Group One Doomben 10,000 (1,200m) went the way of $2.7 favourite Sunshine In Paris under James McDonald. Settled in midfield, McDonald came with a strong late surge to overhaul Rothfire in the final strides and collect the prize. Meanwhile, Dubai Honour has made the trip to Hong Kong ahead of his run in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) on May 25. The William Haggas-trained globetrotter is a three-time Group One winner in Australia and is the sole foreign raider in the final elite-level race of the Hong Kong season.
