So far it is the Japanese riders who are in the lead in the Super Jockeys series which is being run at the Fuchu racecourse in Tokyo.

Of course at the end of the day the sun has come out and the rain disappeared and we hope this means it will stay that way for tomorrow's big events.

The poor jockeys had to face the worst of the weather with the first of the four races in the championships going to Yuichi Fukunaga riding Vincennes, with Shuji Akaoka second on American Diner. Zac Purton was third on Sundarbans and James McDonald fourth on Kapiolani Palace (by our darling departed Agnes Tachyon. Suguru Hamanaka was the fifth.

The Fantastic Jockeys Trophy again saw the locals get the first two home - Hironobu Tanabe on Flame Halo and Suguru Hamanaka got second on Makaha, putting him in the lead at this stage. Adrie de Vries got third on Peak Tram, Pat SMullen fourth on Air Gerberoy and Richard Hughes third on Kyoei Basara.

So it looks like the competition will be heating up tomorrow with Hamanaka trying to head home the local team.