Day 1 sees Damian Lane sharing 5th place with Joao Moreira.
Currently leading the field is "Team JRA" by 2 points with Karis Teetan and Christophe Lemaire tied on 31 points in first place after both road winners of the two designated races.
Some of the riders did well in their other rides with Moreira getting a second and a third and a fall in race 6 when his mount misbehaved in the gates and then a win in the last.
Vincent Ho had a win, a second and two thirds and Ryusei Sakai had two seconds and two thirds. Karis Teetan, Yutaka Take and Yuga Kawada all rode winners and Damian Lane had a run of 4ths so here's hoping for better fortune today.
Fortunately Moreira didn't suffer and major injuries in his fall and he was able to fulfill all his riding engagements. He said at the Press Conference that he had only been riding about a third of what had been his normal as he is taking very good care of his body after his major hip problems. Vincent Ho has said that Golden Sixty is still his favourite horse and there was a colleague wearing a magnificent Golden Sixty jacket.
Sunday's WASJ Races and Race 10 and Race 12. Race 10 is over 1700m dirt and Tadhg O'Shea's mount B I Oracle heads the current market on 5.3. Our position as O'Shea's "lucky mascot" depends on a good result here! Damian Lane's mount Suzuka Majestic is on 5.9, Moreira is on Sam Hunter on 6.4 and Kawada on Shonan Kabuto on 6.5
Race 12 is over 1800m turf and Sakai's mount Eglantyne is on 4.5. Moreira is on Ezo Daimon on 6.0 with the NRA Jockey Tomohiro Yoshimura on Justin Earth on the same quote. Yoshimura's son graduated from the JRA Academy in February and is doing quite well. Also in the market is Gemology with Kawada the jockey on 8.3. Damian is on a real roughie here in Spring Nova on 34.1.
In between the two legs of the WASJ there is the Keeneland Cup, G3 over 1200m turf with an interesting field headed by Namura Clair on 2.8 with Suguru Hamanaka on board. Damian Lane has the ride on Satono Reve, currently 2nd fav on 4.0. Etes Vous Prets has the Fujioka partnership – father trains, son rides – and they are on 8.5 with Big Caesar on 10.8 with Sakai riding.
