By Masakazu Takahashi
Tastiera threw his hat into the ring for honours in the Japanese 2000 Guineas (Satsuki Sho) next month when making it two wins from just three starts in the Grade 2 Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen at Nakayama on Sunday. The Northern Farm-bred son of Satono Crown hit the front three wide under Kohei Matsuyama in the 1m2f event before ultimately holding off favourite Top Knife by a length.
The second favourite, One Direct, was a further neck back in third, with those three all looking set to contend the Satsuki Sho on 16 April. Tastiera is from the first crop of the 2016 Hong Kong Vase winner, out of the winning Manhattan Cafe mare Partitura. He was, significantly, a first Graded Stakes winner for the Shadai Stallion Station sire.
Winning rider Matsuyama said: "He's a horse who responds slightly slower at the closing point, so I took the position to go for home earlier than his rivals. "He responded really well and came home strongly. The pace was slow but he ran in a good rhythm and with good balance. He will run in the next race [the Satsuki Sho]."
Saturday's equivalent for fillies, the Grade 2 Tulip Sho, went the way of Mozu Meimei, who led from the off under Yutaka Take and fended off the late challenges of Kona Coast and Perifania. She looks set to take her chance in the Japanese 1000 Guineas, the Oka Sho, next month. Take said: "She did her best to win narrowly.
She was a bit keener than in her previous race, but the firm ground suited her very well, and we were able to go at a good pace. "I thought at the end the others would beat her, but I think the early lead worked in our favour. She now has two consecutive wins at Hanshin so I think she'll run well in the Oka Sho too."
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