Japan claim Dubai World Cup honours

A giant horse pulled off a giant result for Japan in the $12-million Dubai World Cup as Ushba Tesoro ran down Algiers for jockey Yuga Kawada and trainer Noboru Takagi at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday..

Eyes were drawn to the gold silks of James Doyle as Algiers closed rapidly on the pacesetter Bendoog, but a fairytale win for Ed and Simon Crisford was denied as Ushba Tesoro, a towering six-year-old, maintained a relentless run from the back of the pack to claim a sensational victory by 2.75 lengths.

The win was further evidence of Japan's global dominance after the commanding victories of Derma Sotogake in the UAE Derby and Equinox in the Sheema Classic. It was the nation's second success in the World Cup after Victoire Pisa's breakthrough in 2011.

Ushba Tesoro could barely raise a gallop in turf races in Japan but has not looked back since being switched to dirt, winning local Group 1s in the Tokyo Daishoten and Kawasaki Kinen, and under the desert sky the relatively unheralded contender added one of the sport's greatest prizes to his haul.

Japan’s champion jockey Kawada said: “It was his first time running overseas and there were queries with the travel and the different surface, but he was training quite well here and we knew the horse was in very good condition. It was just a matter of how he could keep his head in the race and he did that very well today.

“There were eight Japanese horses in the field and aside from myself there was only one other Japanese jockey in the race, Yutaka Yoshida on Panthalassa. My horse jumped quite well, but the majority of the other Japanese runners were running mid-to-back of the pack. I just tried to focus on maintaining his rhythm.

“I was riding the horse for the first time but it was a tremendous honour and at the same time there was a lot of pressure leading into this race, but the horse fought on very well.”

Takagi has enjoyed local Group 1 success in his native country with the likes of White Fugue and Sound True, but this success eclipsed any of his previous achievements. "It is by far the greatest honour," said the trainer.

The dirt-splattered Ushba Tesoro was full of energy following the race and had winning connections on high alert as he bucked and shied in the winner's enclosure, but Takagi assured such behaviour was natural for the son of Orfevre.

That stallion was agonisingly denied in the 2012 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and connections are considering a possible tilt at the same race with the winner, for which bookmakers make him a 20-1 chance. It is one of few significant prizes Japan has yet to win.

"He's a bit bothered by the heat so we'll see how he progresses over the summer and come up with a plan," said Takagi. "When he first got here he was quite nervous, but it was expected. As the days went by he gradually got into the environment and today he ran his heart out."

It was heartbreak for the Crisfords as the well-fancied Algiers tired in the closing stages, but the winner of both rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge held on gallantly from the fast-finishing 2022 Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road.

"He travelled into it good, didn't he?" Ed Crisford said. "Turning for home I thought we had it in the bag, but he was treading water for the last half-furlong. He's never run this distance on dirt before so perhaps he was just outstayed on the day.

"Huge credit to the horse and James, who rode a great race. He's going to go back to Newmarket and have a little break and then we'll see."

Frankie Dettori could only manage seventh aboard last year's winner Country Grammer on his final ride in the Emirates, having scooped a record-breaking third Dubai Turf aboard Lord North just over an hour earlier.

"At least I got one," he said. "I'm going to have a nice cold beer now." - Racingpost.com