About the race
The Champions Cup is run in early December over 1,800 metres of left-handed dirt at Chukyo Racecourse in Toyoake, Aichi, for three-year-olds and upwards. It began in 2000 as the Japan Cup Dirt over 2,100 metres at Tokyo, was run at Hanshin from 2008 to 2013 and took its current name and venue in 2014. With the February Stakes it is one of the JRA’s two G1 races on dirt, and in 2025 it formed part of the Japan Autumn International series. The 2026 running is on 6 December, with a total prize fund of JPY 326,500,000 and JPY 150,000,000 to the winner.
The 26th running, on 7 December 2025, went to the four-year-old filly W Heart Bond, ridden by Ryusei Sakai and trained by Ryuji Okubo for Silk Racing Co., Ltd. The JRA said it was Sakai’s third consecutive win in the race.
The 2025 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 December 2025 | W Heart Bond (JPN) | Ryusei Sakai | Ryuji Okubo | Silk Racing Co., Ltd. |
From the official result.
Recognition and facts
- Winner's prize (2026)
- JPY 150,000,000
- Maximum field
- 16 runners
- Former name
- Japan Cup Dirt (2000 to 2013)
- Series (2025)
- Japan Autumn International
Questions readers ask
When is the Champions Cup run?
The 2026 Champions Cup is scheduled for Sunday 6 December 2026 at Chukyo Racecourse, according to the JRA.
What is the prize fund of the Champions Cup?
The JRA lists a total value of JPY 326,500,000 for 2026, with JPY 150,000,000 to the winner.
Who won the Champions Cup in 2025?
W Heart Bond won on 7 December 2025, ridden by Ryusei Sakai and trained by Ryuji Okubo for Silk Racing Co., Ltd.
Sources
The rank and rating are from the IFHA's LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025, published 21 January 2026, which ranks races by the ratings of their first four finishers. Other facts are from the pages listed below.