BLUE HISASHIN (6) has the clearest winning profile, coming off successive Ohi wins and bringing an outstanding record around this distance with 11 wins and three placings from 14 attempts. The first look at this venue is the one new element, but his recent A2 win as a prohibitive odds-on favourite gives him the strongest form reference. NIXON TESORO (9) is the main danger after two Kochi thirds, the latest when beaten just over a length by Thunder Zeus, and his five wins from nine starts around this trip read well. ENTELECHEIA (5) is hard to dismiss after back-to-back A1A2 wins at this track, including a last-start defeat of Immutable, and Tomohiro Yoshimura has won both rides on him. KING SPICA (8) was beaten just over half a length by Entelecheia last time after winning an A1 the run prior, so he has the quality to stay in the argument if he turns that narrow margin around.