Rallying Meisho Mambo Takes Japan's QE II Cup
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Dual classic winner Meisho Mambo handled her first test against older fillies and mares handily and scored her third group I win of the year in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup Nov. 10 in the rain at Kyoto.
After tracking from mid-field early on the yielding turf, the 3-year-old daughter of Suzuka Mambo was angled wide on the final turn for clear run and uncoiled her usual late burst to overhaul runner-up Lachesis 200 meters out. She won by 1 1/4 lengths.
The winner was timed in 2:16.60 for 2,200 meters (about 1 3/8 miles).
Meisho Mambo came into the race having won two-thirds of Japan's Triple Crown for fillies. She captured the Yushun Himba (Jpn-I, Japanese Oaks) in May at Tokyo and entered the QE II Cup as the 7-2 second favorite off a victory in final leg of the series, the Shuka Sho (Jpn-I) Oct. 13 at Kyoto. Her record improves to six wins and a second from 10 career starts for owner-breeder Yoshio Matsumoto and trainer Akihiro Iida.
Lachesis started from the far outside post in the 18-horse field and had a wide trip from fourth before dispatching pacesetter Etain entering the straight. Her command was short-lived as Meisho Mambo was full of run to get the win.
Third-place finisher Aromatico settled in the back of the field and also took a wide route through the final turn. Although she rallied strongly behind Meisho Mambo, she could not get closer than third, a neck behind Lachesis. Both were seeking breakthrough stakes wins.
Victoria Mile (Jpn-I) winner Verxina was runner-up in last year's QE II Cup after finishing third three times in last year's Triple Crown for fillies. Trapped in traffic entering the straight, she finished 10th this year's QE II Cup as the 3-1 favorite.
Jockey Koshiro Take said Meisho Mambo had marked Verxina and had the measure of the favorite entering the straight.
"We raced while marking Verxina on the inside, and the filly responded well to my urging," he said. "This race was much tougher than the previous race (Shuka Sho), but she's a really strong filly."
Meisho Mambo is out of the Grass Wonder mare Meisho Momoka. Sire Suzuka Mambo, a 12-year-old son of Sunday Silence, stands at Arrow Stud in Hokkaido.