JRA jockeys hold exhibition event at Obihiro Ban'ei Racecourse

Seven JRA jockeys participated in the ‘JRA Jockey Day 2026’ held at Obihiro Racecourse on August 24. The event featured exhibition races, talk shows, and merchandise lotteries to engage fans of Ban'ei horse racing.

In a notable exhibition race, veteran jockey Yasunari Iwata secured a victory riding Katsuten Refuji alongside Ban'ei jockey Kenji Akatsuka. Iwata utilized a rare ‘monkey riding’ position at the rear of the sled, a choice he noted was made spontaneously after being asked whether he would ride in the front or back. He won the race by a significant margin of 5.7 seconds.

Other participating JRA jockeys included Hiroto Ozawa, Ryuto Yokoyama, Miku Kobayashi, Daisuke Sasaki, Takuma Ogino, and Nana Kawarata. The event included various fan services, including autograph sessions and talk shows.