Chukyo Race 9 - #2 Satono Ramses 

This fellow's current campaign looked to heading nowhere, with a couple of plain efforts to start with late last year. However, the five-year-old turned things around last time out here over today's trip, coming with a mighty finish only to be denied by the barest margin.

Wide barriers have plagued the entire in recent times, with the nine alley being the closest gate in his last six outings. On Saturday he gets barrier two, and the services of leading jockey Yuga Kamada who has ridden an impressive 15 winners from his last 50 mounts. In the small field he can settle a lot closer today and from there he should prove too strong for this line-up.

Although struggling to replicate his excellent first-up run back in November, Shonan Ares might be the danger. His best figures are certainly good enough to win a race of this calibre, and the engagement of Kohei Matsuyama is a positive move from the stable. 

Chukyo Race 12 - #5 Kantipur 

This genuine filly looks the best bet on the Chukyo card.

She returned from a three-month spell last start and registered her ninth minor placing, to go with a couple of wins, from just 14 career runs when beaten only a neck over this course and distance. Kawada had her right on the speed that day and after looking the winner at one stage she just came up short. Today's opposition has less depth than she faced on that occasion.

From a decent gate, in a race without a huge amount of pace evident, she may well be taken to the lead and Kawada can dictate. The four-year-old's four previous second-up efforts have resulted in minor placings, but she looks perfectly placed to take this one out.

Update is the threat coming off a 15-week spell. He opened last prep at Kokura over today's distance in similar grade and was able to record a tough half-length win. Both his wins have come when fresh from a break so this scenario is ideal. Whether he can give the filly a start on the bend and beat her is questionable.

Kokura Race 6 - #3 Diophantus 

This is a promising colt who has started just three times, the latest effort a minor placing when resuming over today's course and distance. He settled off the speed on the inside on that occasion and once clear in the run home picked up nicely, charging late into third. He will strip fitter following that career-best figure and looks to have plenty more to come. He is ideally placed in a moderate maiden devoid of quality opposition. The colt is expected to get off the mark this time.

Sasuke looks the main threat. He is also a lightly raced colt who made his return in the same race as Diophantus, getting well out of his ground before winding up powerfully to finish fifth. Although two lengths away from today's rival he will be fitter for that outing and should be strong through the line again.  

Tokyo Race 9 - #6 Antano Ballade 

A huge drop in class today for this promising daughter of Danon Ballade so her second career win from just six outings beckons.

The Daishi Ito stable clearly has a high opinion of this three-year-old as she contested the 1600m Grade 3 Fairy Stakes last start when returning from a brief spell. Today's rider Hironobu Tanabe settled the filly just behind the leading division and she dug deep to hold that position to the line, less than 3 lengths from the winner Kita Wing. She comes back in trip today, but it is worth noting that her only run at 1400m was in Grade 2 company last prep when she wasn't disgraced despite being bottled up near the tail of the big field until working home late. In a field of just 11 she can settle around midfield and from there her class should prevail.

Maine Coon has had a stop-start career of just three runs. Today she lines up off a short turnaround for the first time which suggests the Hayashi stable has her right. The two most recent runs, both over the mile, have been sound, just missing the placings on each occasion. Expect her to be right at the top of her game.

FP	Silk	Horse, Age & Sex Sire & Dam	Jockey Trainer	SP WT
1st		5. YURISHA (JPN) 3yo F GREATER LONDON (JPN) - ANGELICUS (JPN)	KOHEI MATSUYAMA NAOYA NAKAMURA	$10.2 54kg
		Yoshikazu Takeshita
2nd		11. KONA COAST (JPN) 3yo F KITASAN BLACK (JPN) - KONA BREWERS (JPN)	KATSUMA SAMESHIMA HIROO SHIMIZU	$5.9 54kg
		Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.
3rd		8. SING THAT SONG (JPN) 3yo F DURAMENTE (JPN) - THEGIRLINTHATSONG (USA)	HAYATO YOSHIDA TOMOKAZU TAKANO	$8.5 54kg
		Shadai Race Horse Co. Ltd.
4th		7. QUEEN OF SOUL (JPN) 3yo F MIND YOUR BISCUITS (USA) - BIJOUX MIGNON (JPN)	AKIHIDE TSUMURA TORU HAYASHI	$5.3 54kg
5th		10. ALLURING VIEW (JPN) 3yo F ISLA BONITA (JPN) - ALLURING LIFE (JPN)	M DEMURO KEIJI YOSHIMURA	$3.7 54kg
6th		2. RED HILL SHOES (JPN) 3yo F HEART'S CRY (JPN) - YAMANO LOVE (JPN)	MANABU SAKAI HIDENORI TAKE	$5.2 54kg
7th		3. DARK BLONDE (JPN) 3yo F HARBINGER (GB) - MONROE BLOND (JPN)	MIRAI IWATA RYO TAKAHASHI	$14.9 54kg
8th		9. MARQUE PAGE (JPN) 3yo F HARBINGER (GB) - DEEP STORY (JPN)	Y IWATA TAKASHI SAITO	$24.8 54kg
9th		6. HIMENADESHIKO (JPN) 3yo F SILVER STATE (JPN) - NADESHIKO NIPPON (JPN)	RYUSEI SAKAI NAOYUKI MORITA	$48.4 54kg
10th		4. RANFURLY BANKS (JPN) 3yo F EPIPHANEIA (JPN) - WILD RASPBERRY (JPN)	N YOKOYAMA KOSHIRO TAKE	$15.7 54kg
11th		1. AIM IN LIFE (USA) 3yo F KITTEN'S JOY (USA) - ELISHEVA (USA)	TAIGA TSUNODA KOICHI TSUNODA	$31.3 54kg