The Group One Tenno Sho Autumn (2,000m) is a high point of the Japanese racing season and Sunday’s edition at Tokyo Racecourse is no exception.

A field of 15 is set to contest one of Japan’s most coveted and prestigious races, including 2022 Group One Japanese Derby (2,400m) winner Do Deuce and 2023 Triple Tiara heroine Liberty Island.

The Tenno Sho Autumn also features a clash between the Japan Racing Association’s leading jockeys – Christophe Lemaire and Yuga Kawada.

The latter is in second place, separated from the Frenchman by 30 wins.

Forced to sit out last Sunday’s Group One Kikuka Sho (3,000m) following a fall the previous day, Kawada is back to continue his brilliant association with Liberty Island.

The Tenno Sho Autumn will be only her second race this year after she was rested following her third in March’s Group One Dubai Sheema Classic (2,410m).

Yuya Katayama, assistant to trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida, breezed the Duramente filly over the Ritto woodchips early Wednesday morning for a time of 1:25.5 over 1,200m, with a final 200m of 11.3 seconds.

“The ground was bad but it was fine for her final adjustment. I let her move as she pleased and she extended nicely over the final furlong. She’s better than she was last week,” he said.

Last week, Kawada rode Liberty Island for the same distance with a time of 1:20.2 and a final 200m of 10.8 seconds.

She has filled out and is up 30kg from her weight in last November’s Group One Japan Cup (2,400m), where she finished four lengths behind super horse Equinox in second.

Lemaire is gunning not only for his third Group One win in as many weeks, but also for his sixth Tenno Sho Autumn win in seven years.

Lemaire’s partner, four-year-old colt Lebensstil, has yet to win a Group One and the Tenno Sho Autumn will be his first big test in Japan.

After returning from an eighth in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), Lebensstil started the year late in May with a poor showing in the Group Three Niigata Daishoten (2,000m), but found the winners’ circle in the Group Three Epsom Cup (1,800m) at Tokyo with new partner Lemaire.

He followed that up with a win in the Group Two Sankei Sho All Comers (2,200m) at Nakayama last month, again with Lemaire in the saddle.

On Wednesday at the eastern Miho training centre, Lemaire rode Lebensstil for the second week in a row, covering 1,200m on the flat with a training partner in a time of 1:17.5.

“The jockey rode last week but said the horse still needed more, so I had him ride again this week,” trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka said. “He is better and his responses are good now. He’s ready.”

“He hasn’t won a Group One yet and going into this race in the position of a challenger is perfect,” added Lemaire.

“I want to challenge Do Deuce and Liberty Island. Lebensstil is in good shape and I think he’ll be able to give it his best.”

The Tenno Sho Autumn will be simulcast for betting by the Jockey Club between races four and five at Happy Valley on Sunday.