With Deep Impact’s short-priced favourite Red Belle Aube having to settle for third place, it was left to seventh favourite Grenadier Guards to renew the track record at Hanshin on Sunday with an impressive win in this year’s Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes while covering the mile distance in 1:32.3.
The Frankel colt was runner-up in his summer debut in July (Niigata, 1,400m) and fourth in his next start over a mile at Chukyo in September before registering his first career win in his last start at Hanshin (1,400m) on November 7.
The talented juvenile colt becomes the third JRA-G1 winner for sire Frankel, after Soul Stirring and Mozu Ascot.
Trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida also landed his third JRA-G1 victory—his first was with Danon Premium in the same race in 2017 and his second title was with Danon Fantasy in the 2018 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.
Jockey Yuga Kawada, who also scored his second Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes title after 2017 with Danon Premium, landed his fourteenth JRA-G1 title, his first since the 2019 Champions Cup with Chrysoberyl.
