Kōhei Matsuyama

Kohei Matsuyama (; born March 1, 1990) is a Japanese jockey.

Early life Matsuyama developed an interest in the sport after his father and grandfather, who were horse racing fans, took him to watch horse racing at Hanshin Racecourse. Matsuyama would go on to enroll in the JRA's in 2006, before graduating in 2009 and acquiring his jockey license.

Career Matsuyama rode and won his first race when he rode Tomiken Primary at a maiden race held in Kokura Racecourse on March 1, 2009. He was awarded the JRA Best Jockey (Newcomer) in that year's JRA Award.

Matsuyama won his first graded race when he won the Chunichi Shimbun Hai with on March 4, 2012.

In 2015, Matsuyama won his first JpnI race when he won the Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Sprint with .

Matsuyama won his first Grade I race when he won the Satsuki Shō in 2017 with Al Ain, with this victory also marking the first jockey born in the Heisei era to win a Grade I race in Japan.

In 2020, Matsuyama won the Japanese Triple Tiara when he rode Daring Tact to win all three legs of the Tiara.

Major wins

Champions Cup - T O Keynes (2021) Hanshin Juvenile Fillies - Star Anise (2025) Hopeful Stakes - Lovcen (2025) Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Classic - T O Keynes (2022) Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Sprint - Corin Berry (2015) Japan Breeding Farms' Cup Ladies' Classic - Icon Tailor (2023) NHK Mile Cup - Panja Tower (2025) Oka Sho - Daring Tact (2020), Star Anise (2026) Satsuki Shō - Al Ain (2017), Lovcen (2026) Shūka Sho - Daring Tact (2020) Teio Sho - T O Keynes (2021) Tōkyō Yūshun - Lovcen (2026) Yushun Himba - Daring Tact (2020)