Point Of Law, formerly owned by the King and trained in Newmarket by the Gosdens, led home a historic one-two-three for new handler Ciaron Maher in the Lexus Melbourne Cup.

Lexus Melbourne Cup result

1st Point Of Law 6/1 favourite

2nd Zahrann 25/1

3rd Juja Kibo 13/1

4th Sons And Lovers 25/1

5th Royal Supremacy 50/1

6th Shockletz 9/1

---

Melbourne Cup report – Trainer Ciaron Maher makes history

Point Of Law, who won the Bahrain Trophy for the King and Queen and John and Thady Gosden in the summer, led home a remarkable one-two-three for his new trainer Ciaron Maher in the Lexus Melbourne Cup, who became the first handler to saddle the trifecta in the Race That Stops A Nation.

The son of Frankel, bred by his former owners, only raced four times for the Clarehaven team and was one of the leading British-trained fancies for the Betfred St Leger before he was sold to current connections in August.

They received an immediate return on their investment when he won the Geelong Cup in October and he added the most prestigious Australian prize of all to his haul with a three-and-three-quarter lengths defeat of Zahrann under Ethan Brown with Juja Kibo a nose further away in third.

Maher had seven runners in the race and also saddled the fifth and sixth home in Royal Supremacy, who opened up a 20 lengths advantage as the runaway leader at one stage, and Shockletz.

Sons And Lovers and James J Braddock fared best of the Joseph O’Brien five-strong team in fourth and sixth, Sky Bet Ebor second Hopewell Rock was sent off second favourite but could finish only ninth while Roger Varian’s Enfjaar was 15th.

The JP McManus-owned pair of Trustyourinstinct and Goodie Two Shoes were 11th and 22nd while Harry Charlton’s Geoffrey Freer winner Wine Dark Sea finished 19th.

Ciaron Maher celebrates with the Melbourne Cup

 

“I knew I had by best hand going into it”

The winning trainer said: “I knew I had my best hand going into it and we just had to execute. I certainly didn’t know that Royal Supremacy would lead by that far but there’s nothing better than a true staying test and Point Of Law has just thrived.

“I can’t thank the whole team enough, all the owners, what a ride they’ve been on. It’s been a whirlwind really. I’m really proud of all the team and to get three horses in the first three spots…I’m very proud. I have my mum and dad here. It’s special.”

A delighted winning jockey added: “Don’t wake me up, it’s an amazing feeling. Ciaron has done nothing but support and back me, he’s had nothing but faith and believed in me. Looking at the race I thought my horse had the best turn of foot by far but I got shuffled a bit further back than I would have liked.

“But I was too busy working with him, trying to get him to settle and I looked up and Royal Supremacy was about 20 in front and i thought ‘oh god’ but I had to stay cool and stay patient. We cut the bend and once he got that clear run in, his turn of foot was enormous. He’s going to be a superstar horse this, he’s something special.”

Lexus Melbourne Cup replay – Watch Point Of Law’s victory

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECi0dnmBaS4

 

Melbourne Cup 2026: and the winner is…. Point Of Law

Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) – Preview

Croix du Nord

Masquerade Ball

Danon Decile

Regaleira

Seiun Hades

Shake Your Heart

Realize Sirius

Sakura Farrel

After two straight weeks of Classics, out come the big guns. The Tenno Sho (Autumn) kicks off what is known as the “triple crown” for all ages, not just the 3-year-olds. The three races are the Tenno Sho (Autumn), the Japan Cup on Nov. 29, and the Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) on Dec. 27.

Coupled with the longer Tenno Sho (Spring) but held at Kyoto over 3,200 meters, this Sunday’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) is run at Tokyo Racecourse over 2,000 meters. It will mark the 174th running of the Tenno Sho, a race first staged at Yokohama’s Negishi Racecourse in 1905.

Nominations for this year’s competition closed on Oct. 18 and 17 horses ranging from 3-7 years old have been nominated for the available 18 berths. It is a classy lineup, one very much befitting the occasion. Attention is expected to focus on two standout contenders: last year’s winner, Masquerade Ball, and Croix du Nord, a four-time G1 winner who captured the Tenno Sho (Spring).

Open to 3-year-olds and up, this year’s prospective field boasts five G1 winners – namely, Croix du Nord, Champagne Color, Danon Decile, Masquerade Ball and Regaleira, the only mare set to participate. The youngest participant is the 3-year-old Satsuki Sho runner-up Realize Sirius, the oldest are Jun Blossom and Seiun Hades, both 7 years old.

The Tokyo 2,000 meters is considered one of the most difficult races. It starts in the pocket to the right of the grandstand and the field turns into the backstretch just 100 meters from the gate. Inner gates are definitely advantageous. Only one horse who broke further out than the No. 8 gate (Almond Eye in 2020) has won the race in the past decade. A runner from a double-digit gate has finished in second place once in the last 10 runnings, and two times in third place.

Betting favorites have traditionally been a strong choice. Over the last 10 runnings, the No. 1 pick has won seven times and finished in second place once. Rank outsiders have a hard time getting close to the front. A double-digit choice has only made the Top 3 places twice over the last decade.

Equinox holds the race record of 1 minute, 55.2 seconds set in 2023.

The Tenno Sho (Autumn) is the No. 11 race on the Sunday card of 12 at Tokyo. Post time is 15:40 Japan time.

Here is a closer look at some of the leading contenders.

Croix du Nord: Croix du Nord has had an outstanding career thus far, with seven wins (including four Grade 1s) and two second-place finishes (both G1s) from 11 starts. Earlier this year, he won the Osaka Hai & the Tenno Sho (Spring), but he finally missed capturing the final leg of the spring “triple crown” for older horses, the Takarazuka Kinen, by a mere neck. Sudden heavy rain just before the Takarazuka Kinen turned the going from fast to slow. Still, Croix du Nord’s losing margin was slight and the distance to third-place finisher Danon Decile was a full 2 1/2 lengths. Last year after winning the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), Croix du Nord returned in the autumn to take on two races in France. He captured the Grade 3 Prix Du Prince d’Orange, then ran in the Arc with poor results. He has run in Tokyo and had three wins out of four starts thus far. He is refreshed, and has a record of good results returning unprepped after a spell. Trainer Takashi Saito commented: “His responses have improved with each bit of fast work and there are no concerns about his condition or his movement. He’s switched on.” New partner Cristian Demuro is expected to take the reins this time.

Masquerade Ball: A 4-year-old by Duramente, Masquerade Ball defends his title with a second run in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). After clinching his first G1 title with this race, he took on the Japan Cup and lost by a head to Calandagan, later named the world’s No. 1 racehorse. After time off, Masquerade Ball flew to Hong Kong and missed winning the Queen Elizabeth II Cup by a length, then finished seventh of nine in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in late July. Back-to-back Tenno Sho (Autumn) have only been won by three horses in the past – Symboli Kris S, Almond Eye and Equinox. Christophe Lemaire, who has ridden Masquerade Ball’s last four starts, is expected up. Lemaire has won the Tenno Sho nine times – three in the spring version and six in the autumn version. Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said: “The left-handed course and the long stretch should pose no problems. He has been coming along just fine and I am looking forward to seeing what he’ll do this year too.”

Danon Decile: The son of Epiphaneia captured the Japanese Derby in 2024, finished the year with a third in the Arima Kinen and the following spring topped Calandagan in winning the Grade 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan. From last year’s Japan Cup, he’s had a string of third-place finishes, all in G1 events. No matter how you look at it, there’s nothing shabby about him. He is consistently running. Although his best performances have all come at distances longer than 2,000 meters, a good performance on Sunday is not to be ruled out. Keita Tosaki, partnered with Danon Decile in six of his last seven starts, rode fast work last week. The horse moved powerfully for a time of 78.1 seconds over six furlongs on the woodchip flat course. “There have been no problems with his condition, but he has developed a tendency to lean toward the right,” trainer Shogo Yasuda said. “We will be discussing what kind of tack could help him there and we should have that remedied by raceday.”

Regaleira: Now 5 years old, this daughter of Suave Richard has three top-level wins to her name, including the 2024 Arima Kinen, a win that made her the first 3-year-old filly to land the Arima Kinen in 64 years. After winning last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup, her next two bids (both G1s) brought a 4-7 result. The two races were six months apart and her first experience over heavy ground. Another three months later, she was given her most recent test, the Grade 2 Sankei Sho All Comers, where she finished fourth. her record includes one third-place finish and two fifths, including a fifth in the 2024 Japanese Derby, suggesting that the direction should pose no particular problems. She will also carry 2kg less than all other runners except the 3-year-old Realize Sirius. New partner Mirai Iwata is expected up.

Seiun Hades: In May of last year, the 7-year-old Seiun Hades by Silver State won the Grade 3 Epsom Cup in record time, but then developed a severe case of tendonitis. He returned for the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and finished in seventh place (0.4 seconds behind the winner). Afterward, he failed to make the board in his next two outings but returned this spring to post a fifth and a sixth in the Osaka Hai and Yasuda Kinen, respectively. After a four-month spell, a good draw and an ideal trip helped boost him to victory in the Grade 2 Mainichi Okan over 1,800 meters at Tokyo. “He took on this race last here without a prep, so this year he should be better,” trainer Shinsuke Hashiguchi said. “Hideaki Miyuki in the saddle gives me confidence. The horse is running good to the left in morning work. He has a big stride, so Tokyo is surely the best venue for him.”

Shake Your Heart: The very consistent 6-year-old by Heart’s Cry has made the Top 3in 21 races from his 31 career starts thus far. Raced largely in the 2,000-2,200 meter range, six of his seven wins have been over 2,000 meters. After notching his first graded stakes win, the Grade 2 Kinko Sho over 2,000 meters at Chukyo in mid-March, he returned three months later for his first G1 bid, the Takarazuka Kinen, but did poorly over the heavy ground to finish 14th of 18. In his most recent start, he captured the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen in mid-August over 2,000 meters. Though it will be his first time at Tokyo and his Ritto base means he’ll have the long haul to deal with, his three wins at Chukyo indicate the lefthanded track shouldn’t pose a problem.

Others of interest are:

Realize Sirius has two G3s to his name, as well as a second in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) over 2,000 meters and a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes. He returned after his Derby run to finish 7th in the Mainichi Okan. He has early speed and, being only 3 years old, may be able to make good use of his 2-kg advantage.
Although it was at the 2-win level, Sakura Farrel has won over the Tokyo 2,000 meters. He has four wins and three seconds from his nine career starts. He finished out of the Top 3 twice, but still on the board. He returns from a second 2 1/2 lengths behind Shake Your Heart in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen over the same distance. Consistency has been his trademark and may stand him well in his first top-level contest.

font: https://japanracing.jp/

Mirco Demuro

 

31 Ottobre 2026

In Giappone sfila la storia e ci sono due fratelli italiani pronti a riscriverla. Perché se l’attenzione generale sarà concentrare sulla Breeders’ Cup di Keeneland, esaurite le emozioni a stelle e strisce si sposterà dall’altra parte del mondo. Domenica 1 novembre al Tokyo Racecourse è in programma la 174esima edizione del ‘Tenno Sho Autumn’, Gruppo 1 sui 2000 metri con un montepremi pari a 1,7 milioni di euro. E tra i diciassette fantini al via ci saranno anche Cristian e Mirco Demuro.

Non una presenza da poco, perché Mirco nel Sol Levante è di casa da molti anni, da protagonista assoluto, e ha già vinto questa corsa nel 2012 in sella a Eishin Flash. Un successo iconico, perché nella tribuna autorità era presente anche l’imperatore Akihito (che poi si è dimesso sette anni dopo), per confermare l’importanza dell’evento. Dopo il traguardo, un bell’inchino di Demuro senior e immagine perfetta per i posteri.

Ora però il favorito al via è suo fratello minore che ha lasciato per un paio di mesi il suo buen ritiro di Chantilly per gareggiare in Giappone. Cristian Demuro è stato ingaggiato per montare Croix Du Nord (figlio di Kitasan Black che questa corsa l’ha vinta) e scatterà con l’1 dopo aver vinto quest’anno altri due Gruppi 1 nipponici, l’Osaka Hai e il Tenno Sho Spring.

Ma sulla sua strada troverà avversari di spessore. Come Masquerade Ball, vincitore del Tenno Sho Autumn 2025, che ha pescato il 7. Lo monta l’altro europeo al via, il 47enne francese Christophe Lemaire che da quelle parti è di casa da oltre vent’anni.

Nipponici sono anche Danon Decile, vincitore del Derby giapponese 2024 e del Dubai Sheema Classic 2025, con uno scomodo 17 e quindi all’esterno di tutti, così come Sapporo Kinen. 

Già che ci siamo, un ultimo numero:  con il 14 al via Tagano Dude insieme a Mirco Demuro. Per ora ha quote alte, ma la sorpresa è dietro l’angolo.

font : Grande Ippica Italiana