Nikkei Shinshun Hai
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.jpg) 2012 Nikkei Shinshun Hai | |
| Class | Grade 2 |
|---|---|
| Location | Kyoto Racecourse, Fushimi-ku |
| Inaugurated | January 17, 1954 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2400 metres |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | 4-y-o+ |
| Weight | Handicap |
| Purse | ¥ 123,120,000 (as of 2026)
|
The Nikkei Shinshun Hai (日経新春杯) is a Grade 2 (GII) flat horse race in Japan.[1]
The Nikkei Shinshun Hai is a Grade II Thoroughbred handicap race in Japan, open to horses aged four years and older.[2] It is held annually in mid-January at Kyoto Racecourse over a distance of 2,400 meters on turf (outer course).[2] Eligible entrants must have raced at least once, and include JRA-trained horses, up to two certified NAR (local) horses, and foreign-trained horses with priority entry.[2]
As a handicap race, weights are assigned based on each horse’s past performance to ensure competitive balance.[2] The first-place prize in 2026 was ¥57 million.[2] The race is officially titled the “Nikkei Shinshun Hai”, named after its sponsor, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) newspaper, and the winner receives the Nikkei Newspaper Prize.[3] Notably, the winner also earns priority entry into Australia’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup.[4]
History
The Nikkei Shinshun Hai was first run on January 17, 1954, as the “Nihon Keizai Shinshun Hai” (日本経済新春杯) for horses aged five and older 5.[2] It was renamed “Nikkei Shinshun Hai” in 1979.[2] Originally contested over 2,400 meters on turf at Kyoto, the race briefly shifted to Hanshin Racecourse in 1980 and 1994.[2] From 1987 to 1993, the distance was shortened to 2,200 meters.[2] Weight conditions also varied: it began as a handicap, switched to weight-for-age (別定) from 1981 to 1993, then reverted to handicap thereafter.[2] The race was elevated to Grade II status in 1984 with the introduction of JRA’s official grading system.[2] International participation expanded gradually: foreign-bred horses were allowed from 1990, foreign-trained horses from 2006 (initially 4 runners), increasing to 8 in 2007 and 9 in 2015 following Japan’s IFHA Part I status.[4] NAR horses gained eligibility in 2020.[2]
Recent years saw temporary relocations due to infrastructure projects: it was held at Chukyo Racecourse over 2,200m from 2021 to 2023 and again in 2025.[2]