Held on the 4th, the Hyogo Grand Prix saw Fruf (6-year-old gelding, trained by Matsuura) seize his first graded title by pushing through from the lead at the fourth corner. Having previously raced over middle distances, the shift to 1400 meters proved decisive. Trainer Matsuura commented, “Our options have broadened, and it’s a happy problem to have.”
Among those who performed well in dirt graded races, Omatsuri Otoko finished second. The horse had a tendency to drift wide on turns, causing difficulties for previous riders like Shimo-hara and Yoshihara. However, first-time jockey Hirose made a savvy move from the inside gate (gate 1, stall 1) to navigate the inner path effectively. Still, Hirose lamented, “He floated a bit at the finish,” as Omatsuri Otoko could not catch Fruf, losing by a head. The next target for Omatsuri Otoko is the Oguri Cap Memorial (1400 meters, May 28 at Kasamatsu).
Fourth-place finisher Ecologie Courage and fifth-place Pace Setting, ridden by Akaoka and Shimo-hara respectively, both noted the difficulty of a slow pace. “It was tough in a one-paced race. We prefer a faster tempo,” they said in unison. The slow pace of the race, unusual for a graded event, worked against them. Ecologie Courage aims for the Fukunaga Yoichi Memorial (1600 meters, May 24 at Kochi), while Pace Setting will take a break.
