Panja Tower will spearhead Japan’s renewed assault on the 1351 Turf Sprint when he lines up in the Group 2 USD $2 million contest in Riyadh, with the raiding party seeking back-to-back triumphs in one of the meeting’s most dynamic events. The son of Japan arrives with quiet confidence behind him, and with a trainer who believes the foundations for this overseas venture were laid months ago.
Japanese runners have lifted the 1351 Turf Sprint three times, underlining their affinity for the sharp test, and memories remain fresh of Ascoli Piceno leading home a one-two in the race 12 months ago. This year, three challengers once again carry the nation’s hopes, with Panja Tower prominent among them.
Trained by Shinsuke Hashiguchi, Panja Tower is no stranger to travel. His fifth-place finish in the Golden Eagle at Randwick last November marked his first overseas campaign, an experience connections feel will stand him in good stead.
Highly regarded from an early stage, he made an immediate impression at two, capturing the G2 Keio Hai Nisai Stakes at just his second start. That victory came against a field that included Shin Forever, later runner-up in the Saudi Derby, offering a timely line of form.
“He’s already used to air travel, having experienced it on his previous trip to Australia, and this time he’s travelling alongside many other Japanese horses, so I think he’s been able to maintain a routine similar to back home,” Hashiguchi explained.
“There’s been a bit of a gap since his last race, but there are absolutely no concerns. He’s been training well during this period and I feel he’s made good progress.
“This overseas campaign in Saudi Arabia had already been part of our plan even before the trip to Australia. Everything has gone well so far.”
Panja Tower and Japan’s 1351 Turf Sprint Ambitions
Initially campaigned over a mile, Panja Tower was aimed at elite prizes such as the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, though early efforts at 1600 metres left lingering questions about his absolute effectiveness at that trip. Those doubts were emphatically answered in May when he surged to victory in the G1 NHK Mile Cup, securing his first top-level success in a pulsating finish.
The triumph carried additional significance. It delivered Hashiguchi his first Japan Racing Association Group 1 as a trainer, a milestone moment for the son of Kojiro Hashiguchi, whose own career featured numerous highlights, including the legendary Heart’s Cry. Since establishing his yard at the JRA Ritto Training Centre in 2015, the younger Hashiguchi has also claimed major sprint honours outside the central circuit, notably the JBC Sprint and the Korea Sprint.
The name Panja itself nods to the iconic lion from the Japanese cartoon Jungle Emperor Leo, a playful twist on the word “Japan” and a symbol of courage — qualities connections hope he will display once more.
On Wednesday, Panja Tower breezed on the dirt under jockey Katsuma Sameshima, completing four furlongs in approximately 52 seconds. Hashiguchi was encouraged by what he saw.
“He switched leads smoothly in the final stage and accelerated comfortably, so I thought he moved very well overall,” he said.
With proven class, international experience and a carefully mapped campaign behind him, Panja Tower now steps into the 1351 Turf Sprint with both expectation and opportunity. For Japan, another bold showing would reinforce an already formidable record in the race; for Panja Tower, it is a chance to let the lion roar on an international stage once again.
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