One of, if not the biggest race in Japan is the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and the 2026 edition is set to be run on Sunday.

Certainly from a future point of view the Tokyo Yushun is the most important race with the winner almost always going on to be a high-profile stallion.

It's also the second leg of the coveted Japanese Triple Crown – last achieved by 2020 star colt Contrail, but also the likes of Deep Impact and Orfevre.

Naturally, only one horse is still a chance to win the Triple Crown given the Satsuki Sho (2000 Guineas) has already been run and that horse is Lovcen, a son of World Premiere who led throughout at his fourth start to win well.

Lovcen is now a two-time Group One winner having also been successful in the Hopeful Stakes (2000m) as a two-year-old, and he turned the tables on Realize Sirius from their clash in the Kyodo News Hai (1800m) earlier this year.

Both are speedy types which is interesting going to 2400m for the first time on Sunday, where the wide expanses of Tokyo Racecourse will ensure stamina comes to the fore, but off what he's done to date, Lovcen will go in a deserving favourite – his sire was a Tenno Sho Spring (3200m) and Kikuku Sho (St Leger) winner.

The Satsuki Sho is clearly the key lead in – 16 winners have come directly from the Guineas to the Derby this century, but of those 16, six had won, six had placed, and four were unplaced in the lead up.

Outside of the Satuski Sho, Audacia won an 1800m Guineas trial over Ask Edinburgh who has since run a solid fourth in the Satuski Sho. Missing the Guineas isn't ideal for Audacia but he does get the services of Damian Lane.

All in all it comes down to Lovcen and the Guineas form – he won that fair and square by setting a strong tempo in front and the others had their chance to run him down but couldn't. On his breeding, he should run the 2400m no worries and is well fancied to keep the Triple Crown dream alive.

Photo: JRA