OSAKA (Kyodo) Another Italian jockey scored big in Japanese racing as Umberto Rispoli rode third choice Kinshasa No Kiseki to back-to-back Takamatsunomiya Kinen titles on Sunday.
Rispoli won his first Grade 1 race in Japan hours after Mirco Demuro delivered the nation its first Dubai World Cup aboard Victoire Pisa.
Favorite Jo Cappuccino fizzled to 10th in a field of 15 as the 8-year-old Kinshasa No Kiseki cut a winning time of 1 minute, 7.9 seconds over the 1,200 meters at Hanshin Racecourse.
Fourth pick San Carlo came in second a length and a quarter behind, while 11th choice Urbanity snatched third. Second favorite Dasher Go Go was demoted from fourth to 11th for interference.
The 41st Takamatsunomiya Kinen was held at the Hyogo Prefecture track after the Japan Racing Association moved the race from the Chukyo course in Aichi Prefecture as a precautionary measure following the March 11 earthquake.