Japanese frontrunner Meisho Tabaru books 2025 Cox Plate start with Takarazuka Kinen win

A bold frontrunning performance earned Japanese galloper Meisho Tabaru a spot in the Cox Plate field with his win in the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen.

Bold frontrunner Meisho Tabaru booked a spot in the 2025 Cox Plate field with his win in Sunday's Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen in Japan on Sunday. Picture: Japan Racing Association.

Meisho Tabaru could be the latest Japanese galloper to have a crack at the Cox Plate after his frontrunning win in the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin.

Meisho Tabaru finished fifth in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1800m) at his previous run before leading throughout under Japanese riding legend Yukata Take to notch his first Group 1 win in the ¥651,000,000 (approx. $A7 million) feature.

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“My plan was to take the lead, and although I was unsure about the pace, I think we were able to race at just the right pace,” Take said.

“I knew the other horses were going to make a bid early but my mount had good momentum going around the fourth corner and I was hoping that he would manage to push through.”

Australian-based jockey Michael Dee finished third aboard Justin Palace while Damian Lane steered Chuck Nate into fifth.

Winning the Takarazuka Kinen earned Meisho Tabaru’s connections a subsidised invitation to run in October’s Cox Plate at The Valley.

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Bookmakers installed Meisho Tabaru as a $15 chance in Cox Plate betting after the stallion qualified for the $5 million showpiece.

Lys Gracieux won the Takarazuka Kinen before heading to Australia to win the Cox Plate with Lane aboard in 2019, becoming the first Japanese horse to win Australasia’s weight-for-age championship.

Prognosis was the latest Japanese performer to tackle the Cox Plate but bumped into Via Sistina in peak form, finishing eight lengths adrift when second to the star mare in 2024.

Via Sistina is the $2.30 favourite to win the Cox Plate for the second straight year on October 25.

The Takarazuka Kinen is the first of three ‘win and you’re in’ qualifying races for the Cox Plate.

The Juddmonte International at York in August and the Saratoga Derby in New York on September 1 will also offer subsidised Cox Plate starts to the winner.

Originally published as Japanese frontrunner Meisho Tabaru books 2025 Cox Plate start with Takarazuka Kinen win