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Racing

Group 1 February Stakes Preview 2026

Group 1 racing on the dirt at Tokyo this Sunday.

W HEART BOND (white cap) winning the Champions Cup at Chukyo in Japan.
W HEART BOND (white cap) winning the Champions Cup at Chukyo in Japan. Picture: Japan Racing Association

We head to Tokyo for one of two JRA Group 1 races on the dirt this Sunday with the running of the February Stakes over 1600m.

Costa Nova returns to defend his crown having won well twelve months ago for Australian jockey Rachel King who delivered in fast overall time in a strong rating performance.

Winning on the same card that day was the lightly raced Luxor Cafe, who won the Hyacinth Stakes as a three-year-old, around two seconds slower than Costa Nova that day.

Costa Nova resumed in November in the Group 3 Musashino Stakes over the same track and distance and charged home for second behind Luxor Cafe who has since gone to the Group 1 Saudi Cup (1800m) and run a very credible fifth to superstar Forever Young.

Sent out the $1.80 favourite that day, Costa Nova simply got too far back but usually has the tactical speed to sit much closer to the pace and should look to do so here.

If he can find the form that saw him win last year he'll be one of the hardest to beat, but there is a very strong danger and likely favourite in the form of W Heart Bond who has won seven of his eight starts.

He was last seen winning the other Group 1 JRA dirt race, the Champions Cup (1800m) at Chukyo over a strong field, including established Group 1 performer Wilson Tesoro.

The pair started the same price in the market on that day and there was just a nose between them, however W Heart Bond is the more progressive type.

That said, he drops back in trip here having never raced below 1800m and won't want this to be a test of speed. His early pace should see him set the fractions he needs to ensure a strong gallop.

Wilson Tesoro is a strong danger again but has often found one or two better at this level and W Heart Bond is the horse on the up who can continue to progress. He'll put himself on speed and can complete the Champions Cup/February Stakes double.


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