This G1 classic is over 2400m and will be the last race on Sunday's Tokyo card.

Interest in this year's race has been heightened by the presence of the French runner Calandagan.  He's from the estate of the late Aga Khan's stud and is trained in France by Francis Graffard and the jockey will be French ace Mikael Barzalona.  Calandagan, a son of Gleneagles, has had great success in the second half of the year winning three G1s in England and France.

Will Masquerade Ball lead them a pretty dance?  He may not race in the lead but he should be up there and ready to charge to the line as they hit the 200m mark at the top of the hill.  Lemaire will ride the son of Duramente and he's got the 3yo weight allowance.  He won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and has 4 wins from 7, with three of those being at Tokyo.  He's current favourite on 2.1.

Danon Decile won the Derby in 2024 and this year won the Sheema in Dubai in which he beat Calandagan by 1 ¼ lengths.  He spent his summer holidays in the UK to avoid the heat in Japan and seems happy to be home.  Tosaki has the ride and they are on 5.1.

Currently Croix du Nord and Calandagan are tied on 5.1.  Croix du Nord has drawn gate 2 and Calandagan 8 with most of the other favoured horses being drawn wide.  Croix du Nord won the Derby this year and then went to France where he won the Prix d'Orange and then had no luck in the Arc.

Pace may come from Ho O Biscuits (our roughie on 118.2) who likes to lead and was just headed in the Mainichi Okan, and Shin Emperor who was on his way to the Arc again but had a set back so didn't run.  We hear everything is OK with him and he should at least go into the multiples on 24.9 for Yahagi-Sakai.  Justin Palace has drawn 1 and is on 10.3 with C Demuro riding and Tastiera the opposite end of the gates in 18 on 18.1 for Hori- D Lane.