Godolphin's Fine Needle last moment sprint landed him a narrow victory in the Gr.1 Sprinters Stakes.
The 5YO son of Admire Moon, won both of Japan's Gr.1 sprints this year. This is the first time its happened since Lord Kanaloa in 2013.
With jockey Yuga Kawada on top, he nailed Love Kampf by a neck at the wire. Rhine Spirit finished third, and Red Falx, winner of the last two Sprinters Stakes, continued his slide with a 10th-place finish.
Fine Needle, out of the Mark of Esteem mare Needlecraft, was bred by Darley Japan. His victory in the Gr.1 Takamatsunomia Kinen in March, the other Japanese top-level sprint, was his breakthrough into the big time.
Fine Needle finished fourth in the April 29 G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize in Hong Kong, and Takahishi said a return to Hong Kong may be in the cards.
The race was marred by injury, when Hong Kong invader Lucky Bubbles was pulled up on the turn as he was tracking Fine Needle into the stretch.
1st Fine Needle (Y. Takahashi, Y. Kawada), 2nd Love Kampf (N. Morita, R. Wada), 3rd Rhein Spirit (M. Matsunaga, Y. Take), 4th Daimei Princess (N. Morita, S. Akiyama), 5th Let's Go Donki (T. Umeda, Y. Iwata), 6th Once In A Moon (M. Saito, S. Ishibashi), 7th Nac Venus (H. Sugiura, J. Moreira), 8th Campbell Junior (N. Hori, H. Tanabe), 9th Hiruno Devaro (M. Kon,H. Shii), 10th Red Falx (T. Ozeki,K. Tosaki)
Distance:1,200 meters,(About 6 furlongs), Surface:Turf, Track:Right-handed,2014: Left-handed,Qualification:3-y-o+, Thoroughbreds, Weight:3-y-o 55kg / 4-y-o+ 57kg, Purse:¥ 180,500,000 (as of 2014),1st: ¥ 95,000,000, Bonuses:see Global Sprint Challenge
Credit: Ritesh Jamkhedkar ritesh.jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com