Lemon Pop doubles up in Mile Championship Nambu Hai

Lemon Pop repeated his heroics of 12 months ago as he once again made all to take the Mile Championship Nambu Hai at Morioka, Japan, on Monday, 14 October.

The Hiroyasu Tanaka-trained six-year-old had posted a commanding victory in the NAR G1 during a superb 2023 campaign that saw him crowned Champion Dirt Horse in Japan thanks to further JRA G1 wins in the February Stakes and Champions Cup.

Ryusei Sakai sent Lemon Pop on into an early lead from his inner draw, although Peptide Nile tacked over to keep close tabs on the outside of the Godolphin runner after a furlong and a half.

Only a neck separated the front two until Lemon Pop moved into a three-quarter length advantage at the halfway point as most of the field looked to labour in behind.

The son of Lemon Drop Kid kicked for home at the top of the straight and soon opened up daylight before Peptide Nile rallied to get to within a length of the leader half a furlong out.

Lemon Pop reasserted in the closing strides before being eased on the line to score by a comfortable three-quarters of a length, adding to his other success this year in June’s NAR G1 Sakitama Hai.

Harry Sweeney, President of Godolphin in Japan, said: “It has a lovely ring to it – 12 wins from 15 starts in Japan and second on the other three outings! It is not too often we get to boast such a statistic, especially as his 12 wins now include five at the highest level. Consistent does not seem to do him justice – perhaps ultra-consistent would be better.

“All that said, we were somewhat anxious before the race as he didn’t quite sparkle in his last piece of work and seemed somewhat disinterested, a risk with any six-year-old entire in training. However, he looked brilliantly at the track today, walked very well and behaved impeccably. He didn’t have it all his own way during the race this year and had pressure all the way but won quite comfortably in the end. And as Peptide Nile, who finished second, won the G1 February Stakes earlier this year, it franked his status as the reigning Japanese champion dirt horse. He will run one more time this year, either the Jpn1 JBC Sprint in Saga over 1400m or he will try for back-to-back wins in the G1 Champions Cup over 1800m. A win in the latter would put him in pole position to retain his status as champion.

“One way or the other, he will be going to stud next year, and our marketing department are already working on advertising. He is a well-made attractive colt and should prove very popular in his second career.”