For the 48th running of the Niigata Daishoten (G3, turf 2000m) on May 16 at Niigata Racecourse, Sugar Kun (5-year-old colt, trained by Hiroshi Shimizu, sire Duramente) completed a relaxed uphill workout on the slope, clocking 72.9 seconds on Monday morning, May 12. The horse is making his return to racing after nearly two years.
With the handicaps announced, Sugar Kun was assigned the second-heaviest burden of 58kg. Assistant trainer Miyamoto commented, “There was no change today, just like usual. Everything is going smoothly. Even with the 58kg, the others are carrying heavy weights too. We hope his track work will translate directly to race day.” The horse has shown sharp form, posting a 49.8-second time on the slope on May 10, raising expectations for his comeback.
