http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/turf-thoroughbreds/gentildonna-defends-crown/story-fnajufri-1226767334914
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Gentildonna, at last year's Japan Cup, yesterday repeated the feat and ensured her place in history. Picture: Wikipedia Commons Source: Supplied
GENTILDONNA staked a claim for a second Horse of the Year title in Japan when she created history yesterday as the first horse in 33 years to win the Group I Japan Cup (2400m) twice.
And, in repeating her controversial win of 12 months ago, Gentildonna landed the fourth consecutive Japan Cup for members of the Sunday Racing Syndicate.
With crack British jockey Ryan Moore in the saddle for the first time, Gentildonna lasted narrowly in a torrid home straight drive to hold out a line of challengers, the three-year-old filly Denim And Ruby taking second place by a head margin.
Tosen Ra, 11th last year and third in 2011, was a close third with Admire Ratki, ridden by Australian jockey Craig Williams, fourth and Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden not far away in fifth.
The rank disappointment of the race was second fancy Gold Ship, who lacked any of the electric finish his army of fans know he possesses with his past record of four Group I wins to 2500m.
Gentildonna had won the fillies' triple crown in 2012 and capped off her classic season by taking the Japan Cup: though she interfered with runner-up Orfevre in doing so, she retained the race after a stewards' inquiry.
This time, she ran truly in the final straight after Moore had given a cosy run in fourth and fifth place from the jump.
Orfevre, the triple crown winner of 2011, missed this year's Japan Cup after his recent tour to France but he will be up for the Group I Arima Kinen (2500m) at the end of next month -- opening the possibility of a return match with Gentildonna.
Gentildonna, like Orfevre, carries the colours of the Sunday Racing Syndicate, a venture that quinellaed the Group I Melbourne Cup with Delta Blues and Pop Rock.
Sunday Racing is managed by premier breeder Katsumi Yoshida, of the Northern Farm, where Gentildonna and Orfevre were bred and reared. So, too, was the 2011 Japan Cup winner Buena Vista and the 2010 winner Rose Kingdom as well.
Winning for the eighth time in 17 starts -- and notching her fifth Group I success -- Gentildonna boosted her earnings to the equivalent of $9.335 million after taking the $2.736m winner's cheque at Fuchu racecourse on Tokyo.
Breeder Yoshida also brought homeland glory for the family owned Shadai Corporation and its stallion station, whose roster includes Japan Cup winner Deep Impact, the sire of Gentildonna and Denim And Ruby.
And, to top off the result, third placegetter Tosen Jordan -- by Japan Cup winner Jungle Pocket -- was sold as a yearling after being bred on Yoshida's Northern Farm on the island of Hokkaido, birthplace of the first two home.
The sweep of placings by Japanese runners continued the dominance over foreign raiders, with no visiting horse in a place since Britain's Ouija Board ran third in Deep Impact's year, 2006.
Gentildonna's historic win also continued the splendid run fillies and mares have enjoyed in the Japan Cup in recent times, taking four of the past five with Buena Vista and two-time winner Gentildonna joining Vodka (2009) on the roll of honour.
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