The final race of the Japanese Triple Tiara, the Group One Shuka Sho (2,000m), is set for Sunday at Kyoto Racecourse and Group One Oka Sho (1,600m) champion Stellenbosch and Group One Yushun Himba (2,400m) winner Cervinia are seen as the two to beat, while 13 other fillies are bidding for an upset victory.

Naturally, talent abounds throughout the field and with the two expected favourites unraced in nearly five months, the question of whether they’ll be at their best does arise. Logistics are also in play.

Stellenbosch, who’s trained by veteran Sakae Kunieda, missed the Yushun Himba by only half a length. Like Cervinia, she’s based in the eastern Japan training centre of Miho, but Kunieda has had Stellenbosch training at Ritto since last week.

Both fillies are taking on Kyoto for the first time. Stellenbosch, however, has more experience racing to the right, with four starts from six to the right. Cervinia has only one from five.

After her poor showing in the Oka Sho, Cervinia’s trainer Tetsuya Kimura has chosen to ship his filly just two days before the race.

“I didn’t get results last time when I moved her to Ritto early and trained there. She won the Oaks but it took a very long time for her to get back on her feet,” Kimura said.

Kimura sees this approach as the gentler option. Still, it’s a journey of over 550km, and one that requires at least eight hours travel by road, possibly longer with a horse trailer and its precious cargo.

Another filly currying favour ahead of Sunday’s race is Queen’s Walk. She finished eighth and fourth in the first two Classic events and, unlike the two Classic winners, is primed and ready, having just scooped the Group Two Rose Stakes (2,000m) at Chukyo.

She’s based close to the Kyoto venue, where she finished second in her debut over 1,800m, and has the right men in her corner in last year’s Shuka Sho-winning combination of trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida and jockey Yuga Kawada, who prevailed with Liberty Island 12 months ago.