Three meetings around Japan today with solid cards at Kasamatsu, Ohi (Tokyo City Keiba) and Sonoda. We've done the form and picked out our best bets across the day of racing.

Only a small field here at Kasamatsu but I'm siding with the lightly raced Orentano, a colt who made a strong winning debut at this course and distance, taking a sit behind the speed before hitting the front early and racing away for a 3 length victory. He doesn't quite have the ratings of a couple of horses in this field but given they've had multiple starts, I forecast that Orentano will take plenty of natural improvement from his debut and be the best horse in the race going forward.

Looking for a race-to-race double at Kasamatsu and I like the chances of Kirari Hikaru Game who is looking to bounce back after struggling last start in a stronger race, following a dominant win here first up. She's only had two starts for new trainer Hiroshi Sasano and her first up win rated very strongly in this line up. She got a comfortable run on the speed first up and I can forecast her getting a good run here in the small field. If she bounces back to her first up form she should be too good for #2 Play It Loud who is racing in great form but I think will take up too much of the market given he started a short priced favourite last start and couldn't win.

A tricky card at Ohi but Brave Sound looks the clear standout having returned with a strong win here when able to lead all of the way, recording a career peak figure which will hold him in very good stead here in a very similar race. His form last preparation was very consistent around this level and he just needs to hold that form to be the one to beat again. This is a decent race and #1 Guillermo is coming off a good win but Brave Sound clearly looks the one to beat.

Waiting until the last at Sonoda to back South In The Dark who has come back in fine order, running second, first and third in three starts back this preparation, the latest two for a new trainer. Shinji Otsuka has clearly gotten the best out of this filly as her last two starts have been close to career peak ratings and she is sure to take plenty of beating here over the 820m again. She's got speed to burn and will cross to try and find the front- if she does lead I can't see anything matching motors with her and she should prove too quick.

FP	Silk	Horse, Age & Sex Sire & Dam	Jockey Trainer	SP WT
1st		1. SEI ZIGGURAT (JPN) 2yo C NISHIKEN MONONOFU (JPN) - THIS IS THE LIFE (JPN)	KATSUTO MARUNO YUYA GOTO	$2.4 55kg
		Seiki Kaneda
2nd		5. END OF WAR (JPN) 2yo C DECLARATION OF WAR (USA) - LADY ROCHFORD (IRE)	TAKAHIRO IMAI YUKIYASU KATO	$2.6 55kg
3rd		3. ROSSO (JPN) 2yo C TOSEN RA (JPN) - ROSSO TOSHO (JPN)	SHIN HIGASHIKAWA MASAYOSHI GOTO	$3 55kg
4th		2. ORENTANO (JPN) 2yo C CAPE BLANCO (IRE) - SNOW BOARD ROMAN (JPN)	TATSUYA WATANABE T TAGUCHI	$8.8 55kg
5th		4. KOLMAN (JPN) 2yo C KINSHASA NO KISEKI (AUS) - SAARISELKA (JPN)	MIKIO FUJIWARA YOSHINAGA OHASHI	$127.1 55kg
6th		6. FORTESA (JPN) 2yo C TOSEN JORDAN (JPN) - BON SEJOUR (JPN)	Seigo Tsukamoto MASAHARU FUJITA	$42.2 55kg