Ushba Tesoro delivered a strong stretch run but finished second

In a highly anticipated showdown at Funabashi Race Track near Tokyo on Wednesday, Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), the favourite at 2-5 and defending champion in the Listed Nippon TV Hai, delivered a strong stretch run but ultimately finished second to the surprising winner, William Barows (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}), who led from start to finish as a 7-1 third choice. Meanwhile, Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), who pushed the early pace, faltered in the stretch, finishing fifth, 8 1/2 lengths behind.

Riding for Forever Young (Jpn), jockey Ryusei Sakai wasted no time, sending William Barows straight to the front from the second barrier. He was closely followed by Derma Sotogake, who was making his first appearance since a distant sixth in the G1 Dubai World Cup on March 30. Ushba Tesoro, having previously finished second behind Laurel River (Into Mischief) in the World Cup, lagged in seventh place, about 10 lengths back as the field made its way down the backstretch of the left-turning track.

As they entered the homestretch, William Barows maintained his momentum while Derma Sotogake had run his race. Nonetheless, Ushba Tesoro, guided by Yuga Kawada, found his stride, closing the final 600 metres in a race-best time of :37.3. Unfortunately, he couldn't overcome the substantial gap and had to settle for a strong second, a distance that wasn’t optimal for him.

"The trainer and I discussed our strategy for the race, and it played out as we planned," Sakai stated on the Funabashi Race Track X account. "He responded well in the stretch and I believed he could hold on."

Despite his horse’s disappointing finish, Derma Sotogake’s rider, Christophe Lemaire, remained optimistic. "We were positioned well, but I had to engage him when the pace quickened," he shared with Netkeiba. "We gave it our all, and I believe he’ll improve next time. I’m confident he can run well on dirt in the U.S."

Wednesday's Results: NIPPON TV HAI (Jpn-G2)-Listed, ¥68,000,000 ($471,512), Funabashi, 9-25, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:52.8, ft. 1–WILLIAM BAROWS (JPN), 126, h, 6, Mikki Isle (Jpn)–Diana Barows (Jpn) (SW-Jpn, $537,781), by Symboli Kris S. O/B-Hirotsugu Inokuma; T-Hiroyuki Uemura; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥40,000,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn, 19-8-5-1, ¥236,736,000. 2–Ushba Tesoro (Jpn), 128, h, 7, Orfevre (Jpn)–Millefeui Attach (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). (¥25,000,000 Wlg '17 JRHAJUL). O-Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co Ltd; B-Chiyoda Farm Shizunai; T-Noboru Takagi; J-Yuga Kawada; ¥14,000,000. 3–Meisho Hario (Jpn), 126, h, 7, Pyro–Meisho Ohi (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). O-Yoshio Matsumoto; B-Mishima Bokujo; T-Inao Okada; J-Suguru Hamanaka; ¥8,000,000. Margins: 1, 4, 1. Odds: 7.00, 0.40, 14.30.