A SELECT field of 14 runners lined up for the 44th Group 1 Japan Cup, with overseas contenders Auguste Rodin, Goliath, and Fantastic Moon giving the race a welcome international feel.

Heavily supported favourite, Do Deuce, with Yutaka Take aboard, ensured the Cup stayed on home soil for the 19th consecutive year. Breaking from stall three, Take employed his usual tactic of anchoring his charge at the rear of proceedings. Travelling keenly behind a sedate gallop, Do Deuce pulled his way forward approaching the 800m marker.

As the field rounded the last bend, Do Deuce was unleashed to the centre of the track. Under hands and heels, he effortlessly quickened through the gears to take the lead entering the final furlong.

Despite a late rally from Durezza and Shin Emperor, Do Deuce was always doing enough in front and crossed the line as a cosy winner, albeit by just a neck.

Shin Emperor and Durezza could not be separated by the judge, with both declared in a dead-heat for second. Three-year-old filly, Cervinia, finished a further two and a half lengths behind in fourth.

Milestone

For jockey Yutaka Take, this victory marks another milestone in his illustrious career. Even at 55 years old, Take remains one of the top riders in the JRA, extending his own record of Japan Cup wins to five with this success after Special Week (’99), Deep Impact (’06), Rose Kingdom (’10), and Kitasan Black (‘16). It was Take’s 83rd JRA-Group 1 win.

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi, clearly emotional in post-race interviews, lauded praise on both the horse and rider.

“Do Deuce has always been a special horse, and today he showed the world just how good he is. We’ve been aiming for this race all year, and to see him deliver on such a stage is a dream come true.”

William Buick deserves significant credit for Durezza’s career-best best performance. Making a decisive move from midfield, Buick sent his mount to the lead along the back straight while the rest of the field seemed content with the pedestrian pace.

Shin Emperor, a reluctant pacemaker in the early stages, still managed to produce a fine late rally to finish with credit.

The season-ending Arima Kinen, run over an extended mile and a half, looks an ideal target for the son of Siyouni to return to the winner’s enclosure after a winless 2024 campaign so far.

Goliath proved best of the international contingent, finishing in a respectable sixth. Auguste Rodin travelled well in mid-division, but flattered to deceive as the race began in earnest, he finished in eighth. German raider, Fantastic Moon, finished in 11th.

A five-year-old son of Heart’s Cry, Do Deuce first rose to prominence as a two-year-old in the Group 1 Asahi Hai Futurity. He followed that up with victory in the Japanese Derby as a three-year-old, where he famously defeated Equinox.

Injury

Though his race record as an older horse has been hampered by injury and inconsistency, his performance in the 2023 Arima Kinen and most recently in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), had shown that his ability was unquestionable.

Do Deuce is out of the American Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap winner and Grade 1 runner-up Dust And Diamonds (Vindication). She was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Sale in-foal to Pioneerof the Nile for $1,000,000.

Do Deuce was bred by Northern Farm and Kieffers Co. Ltd. and runs in the grey and white colours of the latter. Now 16-years-old, Dust And Diamonds has a colt foal by Contrail.

IT is commonplace in the JRA for leading horses to be given one last big send-off before retiring. For the first time in JRA history, that Japanese tradition was extended to a foreign-trained horse.

Although Auguste Rodin’s final placing was disappointing, it didn’t stop an estimated 15,000 spectators from staying on course after racing to witness his historic retirement ceremony.

As darkness descended over Tokyo Racecourse, Auguste Rodin was paraded under floodlights in front of the packed grandstand as highlights of his victories being shown on the big screen in the centre of the track.

The six-time Group 1 winner hails from the final crop of Japanese legend, Deep Impact, a crop that included just 12 horses.