Four meetings on the NAR circuits on Thursday with Kasamatsu, Ohi, Sonoda and Mombetsu playing host. Ohi is the pick of the cards with the feature race worth over 50 million yen.
Ohi Race 1 #1 Grand Coeur
Starting off nice and early at Ohi with Grand Coeur who looks ready to win third up. Both runs back from a spell have been good, finishing runner up at both outings in similar races, especially his first up effort when beaten half a length. He posted a clear new peak rating there before regressing second up when leading and proving no match for Azalea Great. Now third up, drawn barrier one, if he can get back to somewhere near his first up rating, he should be too good for these. Even if he improves a couple of lengths on last start he'll be tough to beat and I think he sets up well to win
Kasamatsu Race 9 #4 Meiner Whistle
Keen on Meiner Whistle to bounce back after flopping last start on wet ground, clearly not appreciate the track conditions there as a $2.30 favourite. His two other runs this preparation have been excellent and rate highly in this field, including a win and a 2nd to Billboard Queen, who will be hard to beat in Race 11. The weather in Kasamatsu looks okay so the track should be drier than last start and we may get a better price than his ability off that last start failure. #3 Taisei Greed won well first up and looks the logical danger in the small field but if Meiner Whistle returns to something near his best, the others would need big new peaks to win.
Sonoda Race 9 #3 Bellagio Miki
The key to this filly is being able to lead, which she wasn't able to do last start and what ultimately cost her. She wasn't bad, settling midfield and holding her position to run fifth, beaten 2.95L, but her two starts prior she led and walked in by 2.5L each time. She's started odds-on in all three starts this preparation, but I think this is the best opportunity to back her given she's coming off a moderate effort and does find a competitive race. Drawn ideally in barrier three, I'm expecting Takashi Nakata to take her straight to the front and prove very hard to run down. #6 Hashiru Shogun is the main danger and racing well. She did beat Bellagio Miki home last start as the second market elect and has claims again, but I'm trusting the starting price and think Bellagio Miki turns the tables.
Mombetsu Race 6 # A Shin Cup
A Shin Cup looks the best bet at Mombetsu and should be very hard to beat. The grey filly has only had three career starts but looks above average having won a two-year-old newcomer on debut before switching stables. Now with Hiroyuki Oguni, she was dominant winning first up before equalling her rating last time but just being run down late to finish a narrow third. She strikes a very winnable race here with the majority of the field well established and out of form and I think she'll prove too fast. My main query is the jockey change, with Hideki Sakashita taking the ride and struggling for form of late, however this should be a fairly simple ride in a small field and she should be able to lead again. Her main danger is #5 Zarina Iran who is racing well and usually in the finish at this level but doesn't have the same upside as A Shin Cup.