Hanshin Racecourse will stage The Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2) on Monday, September 21, 2026, with the 2400-metre turf contest scheduled as Hanshin 11R at 3:45pm. The three-year-old event will bring 11 runners together and will carry a total prize value of „104.66 million. The extended distance will provide a demanding examination for the field, while the race will form one of the principal features of the day’s programme.
The contest will bring together a diverse group of three-year-olds, with established jockeys and experienced trainers represented across the field. Over 2400 metres, the runners will need to maintain an efficient rhythm through the early and middle stages before producing their strongest efforts in the closing stages.
Lovcen will line up with Kohei Matsuyama in the saddle and Haruki Sugiyama as trainer. The combination will take its place in the 11-runner field for the extended turf assignment, with the race providing an important test of the three-year-old’s ability to sustain its effort over the longer journey.
A Shin In Out will be partnered by Ryuto Yokoyama and trained by Hidemasa Nakao. The runner will enter the 2400-metre contest alongside a field containing several notable jockey-trainer partnerships, with the longer distance expected to place greater emphasis on positioning and stamina.
Go Lucky will have Christophe Lemaire aboard, with Yoichi Kuroiwa responsible for the training. The partnership will add further experience to the field, as Lemaire will take on the demanding Hanshin assignment with one of the 11 runners.
Altramuz will be ridden by Mirai Iwata and trained by Kenji Nonaka. The runner will face the extended turf journey alongside the other three-year-olds, with the 2400-metre distance set to test the ability to maintain a consistent pace throughout the race.
Come Up Roses will have Yuichi Kitamura in the saddle, while Tamio Hamada will oversee the training. The runner will form part of the competitive line-up for the Group 2 contest and will face a demanding task over the longer Hanshin course.
M’s Begin will be partnered by Yutaka Take and trained by Yasuo Tomomichi. The experienced jockey will bring another high-profile presence to the field, while the runner will prepare to negotiate the full 2400 metres against 10 other three-year-olds.
Congestus will line up with Atsuya Nishimura as jockey and Tomokazu Takano as trainer. The combination will join the field for the extended turf assignment, with tactical positioning likely to become increasingly important as the runners progress towards the final stages.
Sea to Summit will have Manabu Sakai aboard, with Tatsuya Yoshioka responsible for the training. The runner will take its place among the 11 contenders and will face the same test of pace and stamina presented by the 2400-metre journey.
Green Energy will be partnered by Keita Tosaki and trained by Yuki Uehara. The runner will bring another experienced jockey into the contest and will face a field containing a mixture of established connections and promising three-year-olds.
Kafuji Emmental will have Ryusei Sakai in the saddle, with Yoshito Yahagi handling the training. The partnership will form another notable combination in the field as the runner prepares for the extended distance at Hanshin.
Shonan Hayanami will complete the field, with Kenichi Ikezoe taking the ride and Kunihiko Watanabe serving as trainer. The runner will join the other 10 contenders for the 2400-metre feature and will face a demanding test from the start to the finish.
Kobe Shimbun Hai 2026 Field and Connections
Kobe Shimbun Hai 2026 will feature 11 runners representing a broad range of jockey-trainer combinations. Matsuyama will ride Lovcen for Sugiyama, while Yokoyama will partner A Shin In Out for Nakao. Lemaire will take the mount on Go Lucky for Kuroiwa, with Iwata aboard Altramuz for Nonaka.
Kitamura will ride Come Up Roses for Hamada, while Take will partner M’s Begin for Tomomichi. Nishimura will take the ride on Congestus for Takano, while Manabu Sakai will partner Sea to Summit for Yoshioka.
Tosaki will ride Green Energy for Uehara, Ryusei Sakai will partner Kafuji Emmental for Yahagi, and Ikezoe will take the mount on Shonan Hayanami for Watanabe.
The 2400-metre trip will be central to the race, requiring the runners to manage their pace carefully across the extended turf distance. The field will also feature jockeys such as Lemaire, Take, Matsuyama and Tosaki, adding further interest to the Group 2 event.
The race will be scheduled as Hanshin 11R, with the runners due to leave the starting gates at 3:45pm. The corresponding scheduled time will be 12:15pm.
Kobe Shimbun Hai 2026 will bring 11 three-year-olds together over 2400 metres at Hanshin Racecourse on September 21, with the Group 2 contest carrying a total prize value of „104.66 million.
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