Japan Racing Preview - 14th February 2023

Racing And Sports brings you the daily best bets from Japanese local racing.

Japan Racing 2
Japan Racing 2 Picture: Racing and Sports

Four meetings around Japan on Tuesday with racing from Kochi, Urawa, Himeji and Nagoya. We've done the form and picked out our best bet from each card.

Kochi Race 7- #8 Kepler

Keen to be with Kepler who was just fair first up but should derive plenty of benefit from his fifth placing here over 1400m, feeling the pinch late after leading in a stronger race than this. He wasn't beaten all that far and his three runs last time in for Yuji Uchikoshi were very good, winning all in dominant fashion. If he's able to find that level again he should prove far too good for #7 Deep Ecology who had won two in a row prior to last start where she ran fourth but doesn't quite have the peaks of Kepler.

Himeji Race 7- #3 Morning Haze

This four-year-old by American superstar Arrogate made an instant impression on debut at this track and distance, leading throughout to score one of the bigger wins you'll ever see as the $1.20 favourite. He looks to ooze talent and is sure to measure up here. While others have form at an established higher level, Morning Haze looks all but sure to reach a better level than this and I'd be surprised if he didn't measure up. With #2 Best Smile coming off a last start win as a $1.30 favourite we should be getting a good price for Morning Haze who can win again.

Nagoya Race 6- #4 State Diadem

This four-year-old filly looks the standout of the day and should be winning. A daughter of Epiphaneia, she started $5.40 on debut at Niigata and was only edged out late after racing on the pace. This is a huge drop in class having transferred to the Tsunoda yard, who are a leading stable and striking at 21.3% from their past 50 starts here. If she runs anywhere near up to what she did on debut she should prove far too classy and while I'm expecting her to be very short, she should be comfortably justifying it.

Urawa Race 11- #7 Vigore

Vigore looks the one to beat here. He had his first start away from the JRA last time out at Ohi, which was also his first for the Takano stable and he ran well for fourth, beaten 1.25 lengths. This looks easier and a repeat of that effort should be enough to win here. While he can mix his form, some of his best runs on the JRA at the likes of Niigata and Hanshin were very good and should hold him in good stead here. Others in the field have shown they have the ability to take this out in the past but are struggling for form and would need to turn it around very sharply.


Racing and Sports