Australia's Best Race welcomes Takarazuka Kinen winner

The Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) is pleased to announce the winner of the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen, run on Sunday 25th June 2023, will be offered a ‘Win and You’re In’ invitation to this year’s 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate.Headlining the Nominations for Japan’s first of two fan-voted All-Star races during the Japanese racing season (the second being the Group 1 Arima Kinen run in December) is 2022 Japanese Horse of the Year, and current LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse, Equinox (JPN).The Takarazuka Kinen provided a 2019 winner of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, with Lys Gracieux (JPN) taking out the Japanese Group 1 in 2019 before heading to Melbourne and claiming Australia’s Best Race. In both races, she was piloted by Australian superstar jockey, Damian Lane.MVRC Head of Racing, Charlotte Mills, said the Club was excited to work with the Japan Racing Association (JRA) to further commit a strong partnership of racing jurisdiction alliance.‘The 2023 Takarazuka Kinen nomination field is a strong one. Australia’s Best Race is naturally looking to recruit the best weight-for-age runners across the world,’ she said.Mills said the confirmation of a 2023 Takarazuka Kinen ‘Win and You’re In’ invitation to the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate only strengthened the prestigious race programme complement that provides the 2022 Japan Cup winner ballot exempt entry into the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate, along with the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate winner’s eligibility for significant win and placing bonuses in the 2023 Japan Cup.This year’s 2023 Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m WFA) will take place on Saturday 28th October with a prizemoney purse of $5M on offer.&nbsp;Nominations close on Tuesday 8th August 2023.The Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m HCP) now joins the $750,000 Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m SWP) and the $175,000 Listed Chautauqua Stakes (1200m HCP) to headline the Cox Plate Eve programme with the $2,000,000 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m WFA) moving to Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day.The 2023 Group 1 Japan Cup will be held on Sunday 26th November 2023 with Nominations closing on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.