Hiruno D’Amour has stormed home to claim the Group 1 Tenno Sho Spring (3200m) at Japan’s Kyoto Racecourse this afternoon.
The Manhattan Cafe stallion has the Melbourne Cup in his sights following his half length win over last year’s Japanese Derby winner Eishin Flash.
Tough front runner Namura Crescent, who took up the running from the 1400m, battled away gamely to claim third.
Favourites Rose Kingdom (11th) and To The Glory (13th) failed to fire at any stage.
Hiruno D’Amour’s jockey Shinji Fujita was delighted to get the stallion home.
“I’m happy for the horse more than I am for myself,” Fujita told reporters.
“I’m just glad I finally made him a Grade 1 winner.”
Hiruno D’Amour becomes the first horse guaranteed a run in the 2011 Emirates Melbourne Cup, with his Tenno Sho win earning him a ballot exempt position.
Other races that offer ballot exemption are the Irish St Leger, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, VRC Derby, Mackinnon Stakes and the Lexus Stakes, while the winner of the Australian Stayers Challenge is also guaranteed a run.
Japanese news agency Kyodo has suggested that Hiruno D’Amour is likely to represent Japan at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup.
The Mitsugu Kon-trained galloper will attempt to become the second Japanese winner of the Melbourne Cup, after Delta Blues led home a Japanese quinella in 2006.
Written by Andrew Hawkins
