Do Deuce gives Yutaka Take fifth Japan Cup triumph

Europe’s barren run in the Japan Cup continued as home favourite Do Deuce came out on top in a three-way late battle at Tokyo.

Yutaka Take settled his mount at the back of the field early on and was forced to swing wide when making a forward move around the home turn.

However, Do Deuce quickened up in fine fashion to hit the front a furlong out and kept on well enough to fend off the fast-finishing Shin Emperor and Durezza, who dead-heated for second a neck behind.

Yasuo Tomomichi’s five-year-old flopped in the 2022 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after edging out Equinox in that year’s Japanese Derby.

His form had been up and down since then, but victory in last month’s Tenno Sho had established him as the one to beat in the Japan Cup and he duly gave 55-year-old jockey Take a record fifth success in the race.

Shin Emperor was an excellent third to Economics in September’s Irish Champion Stakes before disappointing in this year’s Arc, while William Buick’s mount Durezza was fifth behind City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International back in August.

It is almost two decades since Alkaased struck in Japan’s biggest race for Luca Cumani and Frankie Dettori, while the likes of Falbrav, Pilsudski, Singspiel and Jupiter Island had prevailed before him.

King George hero Goliath fared best of the European raiders this time in sixth, with Aidan O’Brien’s six-time Group One winner Auguste Rodin back in eighth on his final start and Germany’s Fantastic Moon 11th.