Territorial challenges for G3 honours at Hanshin

Five-year-old Territorial aims to cap an excellent season with a first G3 victory in the Challenge Cup over a mile and a quarter at Hanshin, Japan, on Saturday, 30 November.

The Teofilo horse has been a model of consistency for trainer Katsuichi Nishiura this year, with three victories including a game head verdict in the Listed Cassiopeia Stakes over nine furlongs at Kyoto on Sunday, 27 October.

He also gained two Stakes wins earlier this year, in the 10-furlong Inari Tokubetsu at Kyoto and the Namba Stakes over a furlong shorter at Hanshin, and placed on all three of his other appearances in 2019.

Kota Fujioka, on board in the Cassiopeia Stakes, takes the ride again on Territorial, who faces 11 rivals headed by last season’s G2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai winner Stay Foolish.

Harry Sweeney, President of Godolphin in Japan, said: “Territorial has been one of our most consistent runners this year. From six starts in 2019 he was has won three times and been placed second twice. He also finished third once and has earned more than US$750,000 on the track since January.

“He has therefore clearly earned his first ever career run in a Group race. That being said, he faces a quality field of accomplished Group-race performers and I will be very pleased if he makes the frame.”