Racing Victoria has confirmed that top class Japanese stayer Admire Rakti will come to Melbourne for this year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cups...
Racing Victoria has confirmed that top class Japanese stayer Admire Rakti will tackle this year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
RV’s International Recruitment Officer Leigh Jordan said connections of the highly regarded stayer had confirmed with him they intended to come for both Cups.
“Even though there’s still a long way to go, it’s really pleasing to have it confirmed that a Japanese runner is being prepared for the BMW Caulfield Cup and Emirates Melbourne Cup,” Jordon said.
“Japanese stayers are regarded among the strongest in the world and have already proven themselves in Australia through the deeds of Delta Blues and Pop Rock,” he added on racingvictoria.net.au.
Admire Rakti started favourite in last Sunday’s Group 2 Meguro Kinen (2500m) but ran tenth.
He finished fourth in the famous 3200-metre Group 1 Tenno Sho on May 5.
It is eight years now since Delta Blues and Pop Rock, both trained by Japanese master Katsumii Yoshida, finished first and second in the 2005 Melbourne Cup.
Only one other Japanese horse – Tokai Trick – has run in the Melbourne Cup. He ran 12th in Americain’s 2010 edition.