Almond Eye And Beauty Generation Clash Now Unlikely
The Japanese connections of the 6-time Gr.1 winner Almond Eye have confirmed their intention to race her in the Gr.1 Dubai Turf in defence of her 2019 title of the same affair. In unfortunate news Hong Kong star Beauty Generation won’t be heading to Dubai as previously expected completely eliminating the chances of a head-to-head match between Almond Eye and the Australian-bred son of Road To Rock (Aus) next month’s Dubai World Cup meeting.
8-time Gr.1 winning Beauty Generation, who is likely to be retired this year, will be heading for the Gr.2 Chairman’s Trophy before another crack at the Gr.1 Champions Mile.
The daughter of Lord Kanaloa 5YO mare, co-owned by The Silk Racing has defeated eight Gr.1 winners, including Vivlos, Deirdre and Lord Glitters.
Almond Eye is rare winner of the 2018 Japanese Filly Triple Crown and Japan Cup Gr.1 during the same season, she has shown marked versatility from 1600m to 2400m but exits the first poor effort of her career when ninth in the 2500m Arima Kinen Gr. 1 on Dec. contingency race after a training interruption precluded her from the 2000m Hong Kong Cup Gr.1 two weeks prior.
Her trainer Sakae Kunieda also plans to bring another major star of his stable, 2019 Japan Cup runner-up Curren Bouquetd’or, who will contest the Gr.1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.
A daughter of Deep Impact and Chilean champion Solaria, Curren Bouquetd’or has yet to score at the top level in Gr.1 company. She placed second in the Kyoto Kinen in her last start.