Again the Japanese dominated the 42nd running of the Longines associated Japan Cup, with race favourite Do Deuce too strong for the specialists from Ireland, France and Germany.
In skirting wide on entering the home turn at Tokyo Racecourse, it was the now legendry jockey Yutaka Take who had Do Deuce ‘cruising’ down the straight to win in 2: 25.50s for the 2400m.
Scoring by a neck from the dead-heating second placed Durezza and Shin Emperor, it was Yutaka Take who had Do Deuce near last on going out of the home straight, having jumped from Gate 3.
Racing in last position of the 14 runners down the back straight, it was at the 700m that Yutaka Take made his move to circle the field, with Do Deuce being Take’s record fifth Japan CupJapan Cup winner.
Now the holder of seven all-time Jockey titles, Take won his first Japan Cup on Special Week in 1998 followed by the champion Deep Impact in 2006, Rose Kingdom 2010 and Kitasan Black 2016.
Victory has given trainer Yasuo Tomomichi his second Japan Cup having won with Cheval Grand in 2017, while it’s the first for the grey and white of Masaaki Matsushima and his Kieffers Co.
Now seeking Horse of The Year honours, Do Deuce was coming off victory in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), having taken the Tokyo Yushun-Japan Derby, and as a 2yo the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes.
With Do Deuce the third Japan Cup winner of his sire Heart’s Cry, with Cheval Grand winning in 2017 and Suave Richard in 2019, it was Heart’s Cry who was a nose second to Alkaased in 2005.
Bred by Northern Farm, he’s from the Gallant Bloom winner Dust And Diamonds and second in Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, family of Dancing Brave and a $1mil Katsumi Yoshida buy.
As Do Deuce is grand-son of the highly influential Sunday Silence, it’s the second placegetter Durezza who has Sunday Silence as his maternal sire, with his sire Duramante by King Kamehameha.
With Duramante having won the Japan Derby and 2000 Guineas, it was Durazza’s Australian bred dam More Than Sacred, by More Than Ready, who won the NZ Oaks the family of Northern Spur.
Ridden by William Buick for owners Carrot Farm Co, he is the winner of the Kikuk Sho, the Japanese St Leger, and was a last start fifth to City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes.
Although owned in Japan by Susumu Fujita and ridden by Ryusei Sakai for trainer Yoshi Yahagi, the French bred Shin Emperor was taking ground off Do Deuce at the finish of the Japan Cup.
In having had the winning post come too quickly for him when a fast finishing third in the Champion Stakes at The Curragh, he was disappointing when 12th in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
A full-brother to Sottsass, he was a €2.1 million at the 2022 Arqana August Yearling Sales by champion French sire Siyouni, a half-brother to Breeders’ Cup F&M Turf heroine Sistercharlie.
Japanese Oaks winner Cervinia was the first filly home in finishing a 2¾ length fourth for Christophe-Patrice Lemaire and trainer Tetsuya Kimura, being a last start winner of the Shuka Sho.
Descending from her Kyoto Himba Stakes winning Sunday Silence granddam Happy Path, she’s from Flora Stakes winner and Japan Oaks second Cecchino, and sired by the successful Harbinger.
Sunday Silence’s nine-times Japanese Champion Sire and the 2006 Japan Cup winner Deep Impact had the 5yo Justin Palace finished fifth, having last year won the Tenn Sho (Spring).
In finishing a disappointing eighth when baulked for a run in the straight, Auguste Rodin hails from Deep Impact’s last 2000 crop, and retires to Coolmore Ireland the winner of six Group 1’s.
In addition to Deep Impact, the 13-times Champion sire Sunday Silence had Special Week win in 1999 and Zenno Rob Roy in 2004, and this year features in all 12 Japanese-bred Japan Cup runners.
Finishing fifth was the Francis Graffard trained King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Goliath from France, while Fantastic Moon from Germany ran 11th for trainer Sarah Steinberg.