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Gentildonna claims historic repeat victory in Japan Cup
l TOKYO
THREE-TIME British champion jockey Ryan Moore played a major part in Japanese racing history yesterday when he partnered the Sei Ishizaka-trained Gentildonna to a heart-stopping victory in the 33rd running of the Japan Cup (gr.I) over a mile-and-a-half (turf) at Tokyo racecourse.
The four-year-old bay filly, Japan’s 2012 Horse of the Year, was sent off the 11/10 favourite and just held on by a nose from 29/1 shot Denim And Ruby to become the first dual winner of the 521 million yen (£3.23m) contest, which took place in front of a crowd of 97,420.
Tosen Jordan was third with Admire Rakti fourth to complete a sweep of the top four places for the home country, which registered its eighth consecutive Japan Cup win. Disappointing was betting second choice Gold Ship, who was never a factor while finishing 15th. The winning time on very firm ground was 2.26 1/5, four seconds off the course mark.
Handily placed throughout off a moderate gallop, Gentildonna was sent into the lead shortly after turning for home as Moore dived through a gap on the inside. The daughter of Deep Impact always looked likely to win, but it was nail-biting stuff as three-year-old filly Denim And Ruby, also sired by Deep Impact, bore down on her with a late charge down the outside.
The line came just in time and Gentildonna duly landed back-to-back wins in Japan’s most celebrated race. “It was too close for my liking,” said Moore, riding on a three-month Japan Racing Association contract.
Moore took over from Gentildonna’s regular partner Yasunari Iwata, who was jocked off after three defeats in 2013.
“She’s very special, very talented, and it was a real privilege to ride her,” Moore went on. “She never runs a bad race and her form is rock-solid. I just hoped no-one would get me late. She’s very honest and every time I asked her she kept pulling out a bit more.
‘’She showed what a massive will to win she has—she didn’t want to get beat. This race is right up there with the Dubai World Cup, Kentucky Derby and the Melbourne Cup. These are the sort of big races I always want to be riding in and I’ve always wanted to win this race,” added Moore.
The Mikel Delzangles-trained Dunaden did best of the three Europeans in fifth. The Willie Mullins-trained Simenon finished 13th, while Ed Dunlop’s Joshua Tree, who was heavily eased, was last of the 17.
It was the fifth Group One win for Gentildonna. She defeated Orfevre also by a nose in last year’s Japan Cup. Ishizaka said he never lost confidence in his star filly in spite of her winless record in 2013. “I had been training her to win every time, but I was very relieved that she was able to claim the Cup again. I was much relieved that she was able to prove she’s still a very special horse.”
Gentildonna was coming off a runner-up finish in the 1 1/4-mile Tenno Sho (Autumn) October 27 at Tokyo in her first start in four months. She began the year with a second in the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 30 at Meydan, then ran third behind Gold Ship in Hanshin’s Takarazuka Kinen on June 23.
Last year, Gentildonna became the first three-year-old filly to be named Japan’s Horse of the Year. Her six wins from seven races included Group One wins in the Oka Sho (Japanese One 1,000 Guineas), Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), and Shuka Sho (St. Leger).
“She took the lead quite early in the stretch,” Ishizaka said. “I knew it was very close but I believed she had won. Compared to last year, it was closer then.”
He said Gentildonna will get a well-earned vacation, but is expected to be back again next year. Dubai is a possibility once again, he added.
THREE-TIME British champion jockey Ryan Moore played a major part in Japanese racing history yesterday when he partnered the Sei Ishizaka-trained Gentildonna to a heart-stopping victory in the 33rd running of the Japan Cup (gr.I) over a mile-and-a-half (turf) at Tokyo racecourse.
The four-year-old bay filly, Japan’s 2012 Horse of the Year, was sent off the 11/10 favourite and just held on by a nose from 29/1 shot Denim And Ruby to become the first dual winner of the 521 million yen (£3.23m) contest, which took place in front of a crowd of 97,420.
Tosen Jordan was third with Admire Rakti fourth to complete a sweep of the top four places for the home country, which registered its eighth consecutive Japan Cup win. Disappointing was betting second choice Gold Ship, who was never a factor while finishing 15th. The winning time on very firm ground was 2.26 1/5, four seconds off the course mark.
Handily placed throughout off a moderate gallop, Gentildonna was sent into the lead shortly after turning for home as Moore dived through a gap on the inside. The daughter of Deep Impact always looked likely to win, but it was nail-biting stuff as three-year-old filly Denim And Ruby, also sired by Deep Impact, bore down on her with a late charge down the outside.
The line came just in time and Gentildonna duly landed back-to-back wins in Japan’s most celebrated race. “It was too close for my liking,” said Moore, riding on a three-month Japan Racing Association contract.
Moore took over from Gentildonna’s regular partner Yasunari Iwata, who was jocked off after three defeats in 2013.
“She’s very special, very talented, and it was a real privilege to ride her,” Moore went on. “She never runs a bad race and her form is rock-solid. I just hoped no-one would get me late. She’s very honest and every time I asked her she kept pulling out a bit more.
‘’She showed what a massive will to win she has—she didn’t want to get beat. This race is right up there with the Dubai World Cup, Kentucky Derby and the Melbourne Cup. These are the sort of big races I always want to be riding in and I’ve always wanted to win this race,” added Moore.
The Mikel Delzangles-trained Dunaden did best of the three Europeans in fifth. The Willie Mullins-trained Simenon finished 13th, while Ed Dunlop’s Joshua Tree, who was heavily eased, was last of the 17.
It was the fifth Group One win for Gentildonna. She defeated Orfevre also by a nose in last year’s Japan Cup. Ishizaka said he never lost confidence in his star filly in spite of her winless record in 2013. “I had been training her to win every time, but I was very relieved that she was able to claim the Cup again. I was much relieved that she was able to prove she’s still a very special horse.”
Gentildonna was coming off a runner-up finish in the 1 1/4-mile Tenno Sho (Autumn) October 27 at Tokyo in her first start in four months. She began the year with a second in the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 30 at Meydan, then ran third behind Gold Ship in Hanshin’s Takarazuka Kinen on June 23.
Last year, Gentildonna became the first three-year-old filly to be named Japan’s Horse of the Year. Her six wins from seven races included Group One wins in the Oka Sho (Japanese One 1,000 Guineas), Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), and Shuka Sho (St. Leger).
“She took the lead quite early in the stretch,” Ishizaka said. “I knew it was very close but I believed she had won. Compared to last year, it was closer then.”
He said Gentildonna will get a well-earned vacation, but is expected to be back again next year. Dubai is a possibility once again, he added.
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