Mark Zahra, Damian Lane face off in Japanese Group 1

Australian jockeys Mark Zahra and Damian Lane will ride in Sunday’s Group 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto, Japan.

Zahra is booked to ride Docklands, trained by Harry Eustace for OTI Racing and the only internationally trained runner in the field.

He guided the gelding to victory in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Docklands has raced three times since, most recently finishing fourth in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in October.

The appearance will be Zahra’s second career ride in Japan, 16 years after partnering Perth star Scenic Blast in the Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama.

Lane will partner Lebensstil, who enters the Mile Championship following a win in the Group 2 Mainichi Okan (1800m).

He is scheduled to ride in Japan for the next three weekends and recorded a Stakes victory last Saturday aboard Luxor Cafe in the Group 3 Musashino Stakes at Tokyo.