Three meetings again in Japan on Thursday and the same three tracks as yesterday are backing up with racing at Funabashi, Kasamatsu and Sonoda. We've done the form and picked out our best bets across the day.
Funabashi Race 5 #6 Cullberg
Quite keen on this three-year-old gelding who is racing in great form lately, especially in his last two starts for Hirotsugu Ozawa. The son of Maurice ran second at his first start here over 1400m before showing a powerful turn of foot over 1200m last time out, winning by 3 lengths. He only has to hold that form to be winning again here and given he's started $4.70 and $6.10 in his two starts there's every chance we get a good price. This is especially true considering two horses in this race, #2 Gimme Awards and #5 Joliesse started odds-on last time out and should keep Cullberg a bit longer than he should be.
Kasamatsu Race 7 #3 Sakura Top Good
Not the strongest race here and Sakura Top Good clearly looks the horse to beat having finished in the first two at his last four starts, winning one. He's a three-year-old colt taking on the older horses at level weights but the figures he's been running are better than most in this field have done recently and he just needs to hold his level to be right in the finish again. There is a slight query dropping back to 1400m after racing well at the mile but he draws for a good run and his class should get him over the line.
Sonoda Race 5 #10 Feel My Heaven
This filly looks well placed in a very similar race to last start where she was beaten 5 lengths but the winner looks smart and her win first up was very good. She managed to hold the same rating from the end of last preparation to the start of this one which is always a good sign and if she bounces back to that level third up she should take a power of beating. Her best runs have come when she's up on the pace and if she can get across to lead she should prove too quick. #7 Himeno Tazuna might be the main danger in a competitive race, having won comfortably at $1.40 last time out and rating similarly to Feel My Heaven's first up win.
