Set against the backdrop of one of Japan’s premier racing venues, Tokyo Racecourse will stage a varied 12-race programme on Saturday, 9 May, with the fixture set to include competitive three-year-old contests, valuable races for older runners, and a major feature contest in the Grade 3 Epsom Cup over 1800 metres. The meeting will begin at 10:05 and conclude at 16:30, with prize money ranging from 11,280,000 Yen in the early races to 82,660,000 Yen for the headline event later in the afternoon.
The opening two races on the card will focus on younger runners at contrasting distances. Race 1 at 10:05 will be run over 1300 metres for three-year-olds with prize money of 11,280,000 Yen, and Dare to Battle, Mikki Swan, and Jaguar Rise are expected to feature prominently in the sprint contest. Race 2 at 10:40 will then move sharply up in distance to 2100 metres under the same age conditions and prize structure, where Kitaino Hoshi, Gusuku, and Success Gold are due to headline the staying assignment.
Races 3 and 4 will continue the programme for developing horses across middle and long-distance conditions. Race 3 at 11:10 over 1600 metres will offer 11,280,000 Yen and is expected to include Zan Tesoro, Bondi Beach, and Fiery Beat among the leading contenders. Race 4 at 11:40 will extend to 2400 metres for another three-year-old event carrying identical prize money, with Leaping Sign, Cinq Raisons, and Bombon Baby likely to attract attention in the stamina test.
The early afternoon schedule will continue with Races 5 and 6. Race 5 at 12:30 over 1400 metres will carry prize money of 11,280,000 Yen and is expected to feature Itoshisa, Hoka Mite Dame, and Mont Saint d’Or in a competitive sprint for three-year-olds. Race 6 at 13:00 will be contested over 1800 metres with an increased purse of 15,620,000 Yen, where Seiun Lapis, Elliptic Curve, and Nac White are due to contest one of the stronger middle-distance events among the younger division.
Older runners will then take centre stage in the seventh and eighth races of the programme. Race 7 at 13:30 will be run over 2100 metres for four-year-olds and upward with prize money of 15,620,000 Yen. Break the Ice, Milky Princess, and Tamamo Torino are expected to line up in the staying contest. Race 8 at 14:00 over 2000 metres will offer 22,690,000 Yen and is likely to feature Hawk Man, Wish Tree, and Edel among the principal runners in a competitive middle-distance field.
The latter stages of the card will include two important stakes races ahead of the afternoon’s principal feature contest. The Bubaigawara Stakes, scheduled as Race 9 at 14:30, will be contested over 1600 metres for four-year-olds and upward with prize money of 35,940,000 Yen. Mikatte Yondeii, Channel Tunnel, and Matenro Bravo are expected among the notable runners in the established event.
Race 10 will present the Seiryu Stakes at 15:05 over 1600 metres for three-year-olds with total prize money of 36,650,000 Yen. Sunrise Kevin, Mac Lir, and Pod Despair are expected to headline the field in another significant contest on the Tokyo programme.
The feature contest of the afternoon will arrive in Race 11 with the running of the Grade 3 Epsom Cup at 15:45. The 1800-metre event for four-year-olds and upward will carry total prize money of 82,660,000 Yen and is expected to draw considerable attention as the standout race on the card. Tjuta, Submariner, and Epiphany are among the leading expected contenders in the graded feature.
The concluding race at 16:30 will return to sprint conditions over 1400 metres for four-year-olds and upward with prize money of 22,690,000 Yen. Acquamarina, Lovable, and Morning Magic are expected to close the Tokyo programme in the final contest of the afternoon.
For more stories, results, and updates from the world of horse racing, stay tuned to RaceBuzz