Once again, the main event of the week will be staged at Kyoto Racecourse, just a week before the international gala Japan Cup.

Another Japanese classic has fallen to a three-year-old by champion sire Deep Impact with the colt Satono Diamond winning the G1 Kikuka Sho (St Leger) at Kyoto on Sunday.

Leading contenders for this weekend’s Japan Derby have gone through their final paces at the two JRA training centres with the focus on the first three from the G1 Satsuki Sho, Dee Majesty, Makahiki and Satono Diamond.