After the two-day Breeders' Cup furor has settled in Kentucky Saturday evening, Sunday marks the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo, and five previous Group 1 winners will try their hand at the 2000-metre trip.Aiming to become just the fourth horse to win consecutive editions of the race and the first since worldbeater Equinox in 2022/2023, Masquerade Ball has turned in a pair of quality performances in defeat since his heroics last term. Shadai Race Horse Company's son of the much-missed Duramente found only the vaunted Calandagan (Churchill) too good in the G1 Japan Cup at the end of November. Given some time to mature, the 2025 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) runner-up filled that position again, this time to multiple Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in April. Not bad company. Connections opted to travel and the four-year-old second choice was last seen running seventh to Kalpana (Study Of Man) in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July. With Christophe Lemaire in the saddle, the duo break from post seven in the 17-horse field.Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said, “He worked handily on October 14 and as the pace picked up he was concentrating well. He has matured mentally and, compared to last year, he can move more steadily. I think the Tokyo course is the best venue for him and I think he enjoys the course.“He won this race last year and since he's more powerful now, I think he can do well this year too. This horse's biggest weapon is his late kick. It's among the best of any horse currently racing in Japan. I'm hoping the race will unfold in such a way as to play to his strengths.”The stiffest challenge could materialise from four-time Group 1 scorer and pre-race favourite Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black), who holds the rail draw in partnership with Cristian Demuro. Part of a pair of Sunday Racing silkbearers alongside triple top-level heroine and third pick Regaleira (Suave Richard) in stall three, last year's Japanese Derby hero hasn't put a hoof out of the top two in three 2026 starts. Successful in the G1 Osaka Hai beating Meisho Tabaru (Gold Ship) over this trip in April, he added the 3200-metre G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) in May and wound up second by a neck to his Osaka Hai conqueror in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in June.“The Takarazuka Kinen was the last of his three starts in the spring and he'd needed just a little bit more,” said trainer Takashi Saito. “We brought him back earlier than usual from the farm so we could prepare him slowly. On October 21, jockey Hideaki Miyuki rode with the objective of giving the horse a good overall workout and to up the pressure a bit. Miyuki had ridden him the week before too and, at the time, the horse still needed to improve.“This week, I had Cristian Demuro ride him for the first time in quite a while. I wanted him to get a reading on him and also to compare him to last year. Demuro gave him a good strong workout on the flat over six furlongs. Good overall work and we got a good reading on his condition.”2024 Japanese Derby hero Danon Decile (Epiphaneia) hasn't found the winner's circle since his 2025 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic victory. Fifth in the G1 Juddmonte International that August, he's campaigned exclusively at the highest table and finished third in his next four races, including the Takarazuka Kinen behind Meisho Tabaru and Croix Du Nord earlier this year. Booked widest of all in stall 17, he will be piloted by Keita Tosaki for Danox Company.Said Tosaki, “I heard he'd been leaning in a bit, but when I rode he felt better than I'd expected him to. He had leaned in his last race, but moved well and when I rode him [on October 21] I pushed him pretty hard and he was fine. He's in good shape. I think the left-handed track may be better for him and the distance shouldn't pose any problems. He has a powerful late kick and I'd like to bring that out.”Others to watch out for are 2023 G1 NHK Mile Cup scorer Champagne Color (Duramente) in stall five, and last-out group winners Seiun Hades (Silver State) one to his outside, stakes record setter Shake Your Heart (Heart's Cry) in berth 11, and Giovanni (Epiphaneia) in gate 16.The post Tenno Sho Autumn Double In The Cards For Masquerade Ball? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.