York Racecourse© Photo Healy Racing
Connections of Japanese raider Durezza are relishing a clash with Aidan O’Brien’s Derby hero City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York next week.
A winner of five of his eight starts, the Tomohito Ozeki-trained four-year-old has advertised both his versatility and class by striking over distances ranging from 10 furlongs to nearly two miles, and now makes his first venture overseas to contest one of the Ebor Festival’s showpiece events.
Although a winner of the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) last October, the majority of his success has come over shorter and his team feel he has all the attributes to mix it with the best middle-distance horses in Europe, as he bids to join Agnes World and Deirdre as Japanese Group One winners in England.
“He has won the Japanese St Leger, but his other four wins have been around 10 furlongs,” said Yusuke Sai, racing manager for Japan’s Northern Farm, who bred the international contender.
“He is not a thorough stayer, he has a bit of class. He can stay, but we think 10 furlongs to a mile and a half is his best distance.
“For me the International Stakes is the best race in Europe and we are excited about running – especially against City Of Troy, who looks the best horse in Europe right now.”
The last Japanese participant in the race was Cheval Grand in 2019, while Zenno Rob Roy came closest to taking the valuable prize back to the Far East when a neck behind Electrocutionist in 2005.
A son of Japanese Derby winner Duramente – who also finished second to Postponed in the Dubai Sheema Classic – Durezza is owned by Carrot Farm which is affiliated to the Japanese powerhouse breeding operation Northern Farm.
The fingerprints of Northern Farm can be traced to the cream of Japanese crop including the great Deep Impact, six-time top-level winner Equinox and Dubai Turf scorer Almond Eye.
Having enjoyed big-race success on the international stage thanks to the likes of Equinox and Loves Only You, another victory in Britain is now in sight, as the breeders look to add to Deirdre’s Nassau Stakes victory in 2019.
Sai continued: “Winning Group Ones overseas is what we are targeting at Northern Farm. We have sent horses to Dubai and the Breeders’ Cup most years.
“Equinox was bred by Northern Form and he won in Dubai and both Marche Lorraine and Loves Only You won at the Breeders’ Cup are also great horses bred by Northern Farm.
“The CEO of Carrot Farm is a daughter of the CEO of Northern Farm so we are all part of the same family and Carrot Farm has a very close relationship with Northern Farm. Carrot Farm syndicate horses bred by Northern Farm.”
Durezza has been fine-tuning his preparations for the Knavesmire Group One in Newmarket as connections seek to fill a void in the calendar ahead of a potential Japan Cup bid later in the year.
Regular pilot Christophe Lemaire will jet in to partner Durezza for his Yorkshire date having missed his most recent outing in Kyoto’s Tenno Sho in April through injury.
And the colt’s team are confident the track at York will suit their globetrotter, whose odds for his big-race assignment range from 16-1 to 33s.
“It has always been the plan to race at York and he didn’t really go well last time,” added Sai, who was enjoying being back in the familiar setting of Charlie Fellowes’ Bedford Lodge Stables where he once worked when the yard played home to training great Luca Cumani.
“We have watched him carefully and he seems OK. There are only few options for Group One horses in Japan over the summer time and choosing one over 10 furlongs is why we brought him.
“His main target is the Japan Cup. It has always been in mind and he has had a nice break since his last run.
“I think York is incredibly flat compared to other UK tracks and I think it will suit him for sure. He is happy and enjoying the weather. The Summer in Japan is terrible, it is very humid and too hot.
“Last time he ran, he kind of had heat stroke, so that is one reason we have brought him to run in nice cool weather. He’s relaxed and settled in well.”
He went on: “Christophe Lemaire is coming over to ride. He rode him in the Japanese St Leger and is the main jockey of Durezza – he couldn’t ride last time as he got injured in Dubai on World Cup night.”
Another horse set to throw his hat into an increasingly hot Juddmonte International ring is Maljoom, who trainer William Haggas feels is ready to step up to a mile and a quarter for the first time after being placed in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood this summer.
“I’d like to step him up in trip and we’re planning to run him in the Juddmonte because hopefully the ground will be quick,” Haggas told Sky Sports Racing.
“Every time he’s run to me he’s looked like he wants further, even in that eyecatching run at Ascot (2022 St James Palace Stakes) where he stormed home and looked like if he’d gone another furlong he’d have won by three lengths.
“At Ascot in the Queen Anne against Charyn he was staying on all the way to the line, and at Goodwood it was always going to be a messy race, for me he got done for foot but he stayed on well.
“What we don’t know is whether he just wants a fast pace at a mile or he will stay further so we’re going to try it in a very strong race obviously, but he’s a very good horse.
“This should be very interesting. He’s not really bred to stay and the Carvaggios don’t all stay, but we’re going to give it a try and see what happens.
“He could go for an easier option in the Strensall Stakes and he will get an entry in the Strensall, but I feel it would be good to get him up in trip.”
