2023 Japan Cup Tips

The latest edition of the Japan Cup takes place at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday 26th November.

It will be the 43rd running of Japan's most prestigious contest and it boasts a prize of approximately £2.7 million for the winner.

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The contest is a Grade 1 turf race run over a mile-and-a-half (2400m) and the field includes no fewer than seven Group 1 winners, including Equinox – the four-year-old colt who has topped the world rankings since the spring.

The Japan Cup goes off at 3.40pm local time (6.40am GMT) on Sunday and here we mark your card for the big race.

Horse Racing Betting

Equinox going to be hard to stop

Picking holes in the form and ability of EQUINOX is no easy task. He's rated the world's best racehorse and his tactical versatility ensures that any flaws are tough to isolate.

He comes into this after defending his Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) title in October, justifying odds-on favouritism in grand style as he pulled clear to win by two-and-a-half lengths having travelled easily in third until a furlong-and-a-half out.

He's going for a sixth Group 1 success for trainer Tetsuya Kimura and will have Christophe-Patrice Lemaire in the plate once more as he bids to win a record-equalling fourth Japan Cup.

He's effective at this track, stays the trip and clearly has the best chance of winning – as his odds-on favouritism suggests – as he looks to cap a year that already includes victory in the Sheema Classic at Meydan in the spring. Based on form, he's going to be a very tough nut to crack.

Doyle on board defending champ Vela Azul

Last year's winner Vela Azul is back for another shot at this Grade 1 and will attempt to become the first horse since Gentildonna (2012/2013) to retain this title.

He had an inspired Ryan Moore on board 12 months ago as they pierced their way through the field to hit the front late on.

That form is relatively isolated in his career overall and a repeat effort is the minimum that will be needed in what appears a stronger renewal of the Japan Cup. With Moore absent this year, Hollie Doyle has picked up the ride on the defending champion.

Champion filly amongst the key dangers

Heading the opposition to Equinox in the betting is Japan's outstanding filly, Liberty Island, trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida.

She was the champion juvenile last term and had added Japanese 1000 Guineas and Oaks crowns already this season before completing her prep for this by winning the Grade 1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto last month.

Her Oaks win came over course and distance by some six-lengths and, after only six starts, she is still on the rise. With her weight-for-age allowance, she gets a healthy 9lb from Equinox and, on paper, that's enough for things to be very competitive between the pair at the head of the market.

Danon Beluga can run a big race

Titleholder is a three-time winner at the elite level for trainer Toru Kurita and will seek to deploy his early speed to get a good position. He isn't short on stamina either and is one of the interesting each-way contenders for punters to consider having finished second in the Grade 2 Sankei Sho All Comers in his preparation race in September, off the back of a five-month layoff.

However, the Noriyuki Hori-trained DANON BELUGA looks to be the outstanding each-way contender and might be one to consider.

His 2023 debut at Meydan in March saw him come from a very unpromising position to fly home and finish second to Lord North in the Group 1 Dubai Turf over 1m1f.

He's had a couple of spins since, finishing fourth in the Sapporo Kinen in August and then occupying the same berth last time as Equinox claimed the Tenno Sho, with both of those races coming over 1m2f.

He was fifth in this race a year ago and might have made the frame bar some finding some traffic problems in a very bunched finish. This time he has the services of the 'Magic Man' Joao Moreira in the plate and, at chunky odds, he could prove to be of some value for those keen to avoid the short-priced favourite.

Selection: Equinox

Each-way: Danon Beluga

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