The crowd goes wild as the rare white ‘unicorn’ horse rushes to victory in the £1.7million race

Sodashi took the Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan. The unusual white horse defeated a strong field to set up a possible trip to the Breeders’ Cup in Keeneland

Fans went wild as rare ‘unicorn’ horse Sodashi rushed to victory in a £1.7million race.

The white filly wowed race-goers in Tokyo with her late breakout at Victoria Mile on Sunday. Naosuke Sugai’s star caught up a few lengths en route to the finish line. Jockey Hayato Yoshida galvanized his mount for one last effort and she set herself up for impressive success.

“It was like a dream for a white horse to win a Class 1 race at Tokyo track,” said Yoshida. In footage of the performance, great cheers erupt from the crowd as the “white wonder” stretches out in front of their 17 rivals. The win earns her a spot in the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland in November.

In 2021, Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine became the first Japan-trained horses to triumph at the event.

Kate Hunter, who attended the Tokyo races, posted a clip on social media of racing enthusiasts celebrating Sodashi’s outstanding performance.

She tweeted: “The roar of the crowd increased 100x as Sodashi launched into her stretch drive. Very popular with the fans. Now to convince them to come to the @BreedersCup.”

Referred to as “the unicorn,” Sodashi is a daughter of champion gray Kurofune out of the spotted white mare Buchiko. Her mother’s name was Shirayukihime, which means “Snow White”. Because of her skin color, Sodashi, who is now a three-time Class 1 winner, has become very popular since the start of her career in September 2020.

She has also had success at Sopporo and Hanshin racetracks and has yet to compete outside of her home country. Translated as “purity, brilliance,” Sodashi broke the course record when he won the 2021 Japanese 1,000 Guineas.

The official winning margin for her weekend performance was two lengths as she caught outsider Rosa Noir. “She relaxed well and ran positively so I could get her to keep a good rhythm. When I pushed her, her reaction against a strong field was so good,” Yoshida added.

Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co Ltd and Sugai must now decide whether to target the big gathering in America later in the year. “She has grown up mentally and I will discuss her next plan with her owner,” said the trainer.

A Facebook fan page dedicated to Sodashi is followed by more than 1,200 people. Pictures of the filly in her home stable and the latest race results are among the regular posts. The latest image shows Yoshida greeting the crowd while Sodashi contributes to her big race haul.