The NHK Mile Cup provides an interesting turning point in the Japanese three-year-old scene.

Plenty come back from the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) which is run over 2000m while others are late bloomers coming through trials, often over 1400m and in the sprinter-miler category.

Cavallerizzo fits the former bill having been sent around as a leading market fancy in the Satsuki Sho but struggled badly there – every chance tracking the winner but fading to finish 13th under Damian Lane.

Perhaps 2000m found him out on that occasion but everything he'd done prior suggested it'd be no problem and he was very poor.

Back to a mile could suit but losing Lane for local jockey Atsuya Nishimura is a negative and there could be others that have made greater strides since their two-year-old days.

Diamond Knot was second behind Cavallerizzo in the Group 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (1600m) as a two-year-old when leading and just being run down.

He resumed with a good win in Group 3 company at Chukyo, albeit the time against the other 1400m races on the card was okay without being great.

Yuga Kawada sticks with Diamond Knot from Chukyo and there's every expectation he'll improve for the run having done what he needed to on resumption.

Ask Ikigomi brings a different form line having won the Group 3 Churchill Downs Cup (1600m) at Hanshin first up, crossing from a wide barrier to race on speed and hold on for a good win.

He remained unbeaten there having also dashed best on debut over the Tokyo 1600m and there's every chance he's the one with the most upside.

Finally, Reservation comes here having won the Group 2 New Zealand Trophy (1600m) at Nakayama first up.

A son of Danon Premium, he put up a strong rating there but was a big price at $42 in betting having taken five starts to break his maiden prior.

The $1.70 favourite on that occasion was Rodeo Drive who had won two races impressively prior. There's every chance he can turn the tables given that market differential last time out.

It looks a wide open edition of the NHK Mile Cup and we're looking for the horse to progress the most and that could be Ask Ikigomi who has won 2/2 so far and should be better than double figures in the betting.

Photo: JRA