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Alakaased Grit Secures Japan Cup Crown
28/11/05

Gutsy Alkaased gave trainer Luca Cumani his first and jockey Frankie Dettori his third Japan Cup triumph when battling down the Tokyo straight to first fight off the challenge of last year’s winner Zenno Rob Roy, and then to repel the late charging Heart’s Cry by a nose in a thrilling 25th running of the Japan Cup (Gr 1) at Fuchu racecourse on Sunday.

In winning the Japan Cup, the twelfth and penultimate leg of the World Racing Championships Alkaased set a new track record in 2m 22.10s for the 12 furlongs, lowering the time set by the New Zealand mare Horlicks in 1989 by one tenth of a second.

Drawn wide in gate 14, Alkaased was able to make his way across to the rail and take up a position in mid-division behind Ouija Board and Bago, his fellow European challengers.

Improving his position at the head of the stretch, Frankie Dettori threw down the gauntlet to his rivals, setting sail for home and ing the tiring pacemakers Tap Dance City and Stormy Caf.

Alkaased was challenged and briefly ed by Zenno Rob Roy, but under Dettori’s urgings, fought back to go clear as the 2004 winner weakened, and then held on by the narrowest of margins as Christophe Lemaire galvanised Heart’s Cry in a desperate late rally up the inside.

For Japan, Lincoln was next home in fourth place, while Lord Derby’s filly Ouija Board held on gamely for fifth spot under Kieren Fallon, having looked to have a winning chance in the closing stages before tiring in the final 100 yards. Sunrise Pegasus for Japan filled sixth spot a length and a half further back.

Afterwards a happy Dettori itted he was not certain that he had won. “My gut feeling when I went past the post was that I had won, but the numbers usually come up here pretty quick, and when they didn’t, I started to doubt and to sweat, and I felt like it was about 20 minutes before I knew I was there.”

“ I was confident before the race, as the horse was fresh and he was so well going into the race when I rode him this week. He sometimes breaks a little slowly, and I was concerned not to get too far behind. I got a good position behind Ouija Board and Bago, who were key horses in the race, but I didn’t know where Zenno Rob Roy was. In the straight my horse fought really well to first see off the challenge of Zenno Rob Roy, and then to fight again when the second horse came at him.

“ It means a huge amount to me to win this race for Luca Cumani. He started me off, and we had eight great years together. He moulded me and taught me what to do and say. The fact that I am here today talking to you is due to him”

French challenger Bago on his final career start ran a creditable race to finish eighth beaten five lengths or so, despite being struck into, and losing a near hind shoe in the race.
In a race run at a furious pace, there were no other real hard luck stories. US challenges Better Talk Now and King’s Drama were 12th and 16th, while Warrsan was a never dangerous 13th for Clive Britain and jockey Jamie Spencer.

Alkaased missed intended runs in the Arc and Breeders’ Cup, and but for that might well be ahead in the WRC rankings following his Japan Cup success. As the final leg of the WRC unfolds in Hong Kong, can local hero Vengeance of Rain add to his first leg triumph in the AP QE II Cup in April and secure the WRC crown with a victory in the Hong Kong Cup in two weeks time?