A year after her unforgettable win in the Queen Elizabeth 2 Commemorative Cup at Kyoto last year, Snow Fairy is back to defend her title.

While Snow Fairy hasn't won since then, she has been racing in the very top competitions and looks to be

in good shape for this. Ryan Moore will again partner her. She's joined by Dancing Rain, a Danehill

Dancer filly who won the English and German Oaks this year and is trained by William Haggas, whose

wife Maureen (daughter of Lester Piggot) has been on track work duty in Kyoto. She will be a very

competitive addition to the field.

The locals have a potential star in Aventura, winner of the recent Shuka Sho after missing most of the

classics for 3 year olds while she was out with a leg fracture. Reve d'Essor, a daughter of the late great

Agnes Tachyon, has also been out with injury but since this is her first start since March she will need to

be back to her very best. Whale Capture is a lovely filly too but this trip may test her as she hasn't run

over 1800m.