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Formidable home team ready for overseas
challenge
It takes a special horse to defeat Japanese horses on their
own turf, particularly when it comes to Japan's greatest race,
the Japan Cup (Gr.1-2400m), which will be simulcast to Hong
Kong on 30 November.
You need legends like 2000 Yasuda Kinen winner Fairy King
Prawn, for example.
Or seven-times Gr.1 winner Falbrav, the winner of last year's
Japan Cup in a three-way photo, who is now preparing for a
trip to Sha Tin for next month's Hong Kong Cup.
But it was a different story in the 2001 renewal of the HK$34
million spectacular, now back at Tokyo Racecourse a brief
hiatus. That year the first five past the post were all Japanese-trained,
led by Jungle Pocket.
Sure enough, the home defence of the 23rd Japan Cup has another
formidable look to it with Symboli Kris S, Japan's Horse of
the Year and Best Three-Year-Old Colt in 2002 leading the
charge.
A very close 3rd in this race last year, Symboli Kris S became
the first winner of consecutive runnings of the Tenno Sho
(Autumn) (JpnGr.1-2000m) earlier this month, ahead of Japan
Cup rival Tsurumaru Boy, with Eishin Preston, three times
victorious in Gr.1 races in Hong Kong, in 4th.
Held up in midfield by French ace Olivier Peslier, Symboli
Kris S made headway from the top of the Tokyo stretch to lead
at the 200m as Tsurumau Boy ran on well from off the pace
for his third runners-up slot in JpnGr.1 races this year.
Another one to note from the Tenno Sho is Sunrise Pegasus,
who also caught the eye running on strongly to finish 6th
on his first run back after a 12-month absence through injury.
The Sunday Silence colt, Neo Universe, who recently went
close in his attempt to become only the sixth horse to win
the Japanese Triple Crown, should also receive plenty of attention.
Earlier in the year Neo Universe won the 2000m Satsuki Sho
(Japanese 2000 Guineas) and the 2400m Tokyo Yushun (Japanese
Derby), and he made his bid for immortality in the 3000m Kikuka
Sho (Japanese St Leger) on 26 October.
However, he was a little one-paced in the finish and ran
1 length third to That¡¦s The Plenty, whom he
re-opposes in the Japan Cup.
Italian jockey Mirco Demuro, who rode Neo Universe in all
three Triple Crown legs, said the star colt simply failed
to see out the Kikuka Sho trip.
Also well worth mentioning for this year's Japan Cup is the
six-year-old US-bred Tap Dance City, runner-up to Symboli
Kris S in the prestigious Arima Kinen (JpnGr.1-2600m) last
December.
This year he has won two JpnGr.2 events and an open race
over the Japan Cup course and distance.
Finally, there is also last season's champion filly, Fine
Motion. An Irish-bred Danehill half sister to the great Breeders'
Cup Turf and multiple Gr.1 winner, Pilsudski, she racked up
a record of six straight wins last year, rounded off with
a first success by a 3yo filly against older mares in the
Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (JpnGr.1-2200m). However,
she later finished 5 lengths fifth to Symboli Kris S in the
Arima Kinen.
(
Nominations)
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