Meisho Hachiro wins Nambu Hai as Strength finishes second

Meisho Hachiro won the 39th Nambu Hai, a top-level dirt mile race, on October 12 at Morioka Racecourse in Japan.

The race was run over 1,600 metres on a dry track with 11 horses taking part.

Strength, a six-year-old horse and the sixth choice among bettors, led for much of the race but was passed near the finish.

He came second by three-quarters of a length, while favourite Wilson Tesoro finished third.

The win was Meisho Hachiro’s first at Jpn1 level, with jockey Hiroto Yoshihara riding him for the first time.

Strength’s jockey, Ryo Kosaki, said the horse ran well on the left-handed track and vowed to try again.

The victory gives Meisho Hachiro priority entry rights for two Jpn1 races in Kanazawa on November 3: the JBC Classic and the JBC Sprint.