2020 Japanese Derby Betting Odds at Tokyo racecourse

Sunday, 31 May 2020

The Tokyo Yushun is also known as the Japanese Derby and it’s the biggest flat horse race in the country of Japan, with the runners and riders lining up at Tokyo Racecourse to compete in this Grade 1 flat horse race.

This Grade 1 encounter is for three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies, with the distance being one mile and four furlongs. It takes place at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo, with this race scheduled to be run on 31 May 2020 and it nearly always takes place at the end of May or the beginning of June.

This race is essentially the Japanese equivalent of the English Derby and is treated in high regard all over the world. It also forms part of the Japanese Triple Crown, with this being the second leg and it’s preceded by the Satsuki Sho and followed by the Kikuka Sho.

The Tokyo Yushun is open to international competition, with five domestic races forming part of the qualifying process. The top five in the Satsuki Sho get the chance to enjoy priority entry rights, with the Aoba Sho and Principal Pulse Stakes other races that have entry qualifications.

The History of the Japanese Derby

The race has been in operation since 1932, with Japanese horses having dominated this encounter. Roger Barrows was the most recent winner in 2019 and, despite the name, this was a Japan-trained runner along with Wagnerian who was the 2018 winner.

Wakataka was the very first winner of the race in 1932, with Kabutoyama and Fray Mor then landing the spoils, while the Japanese Derby has been running ever since and the prize money has really swelled in recent years.

How to Bet on the Japanese Derby

Betting on this famous race works much in then same way as betting on UK and Irish racing. It’s a case of looking through the Japanese Derby racecard and picking out the horses that make the most appeal.

Contrail is the odds-on favourite for the 2020 renewal and Salios looks set to be the second-favourite, so punters have to make a decision as to get with the two leading horses on the shortlist as opposed to the remainder of the field.

Satono Flag, Wakea and Galore Creek are the other runners that are worthy of consideration, with punters getting the chance to bet win only, place only or strike an each-way bet where they will get a percentage of the odds as a payout if the horse finishes in the frame.

There are many bookmakers who will be offering odds for the Tokyo Yushun and it makes sense to compare the latest prices as you will find they will be different across the board. Hopefully you can secure the biggest odds for this encounter.

Make sure you keep aware of the number of runners in the field and have a look for runners whose price is shortening. This is often a sign that they are popular in the market and worth following.