Japan Cup: Do Deuce swoops for stellar success as Auguste Rodin bows out

Do Deuce justified strong favouritism in Japan's most famous race - and with a thrilling last-to-first success under legendary jockey Yutaka Take - as the European challenge ultimately underwhelmed in the £5m Japan Cup in Tokyo.

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 and, while his form had been up and down since then, his victory in last month’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) had established him as the one to beat and he duly gave his 55-year-old rider a record fifth success in the race. 

Goliath fared the best of the international raiders in sixth and the King George winner ran well given he was keen enough off steady early fractions, while Auguste Rodin - who sweated up beforehand - looked in a decent position under Ryan Moore but just couldn't pick up in the straight as he finished eighth on his final career start. Fantastic Moon made some early ground in the straight before flattening out to finish 11th of the 14 runners.

European form was advertised in the big-race finish, however, as Shin Emperor - just a length behind Economics in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes in September - dead-heated for second after racing on the pace while fellow joint-second Durezza, ridden by William Buick, showed his true colours after finishing fifth behind City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International at York last time.

Do Duece was last of the runners with six furlongs to run and his victory here was top-class given how he got himself to the front, coming wide into the straight with a brilliant, loping move around the outside and then not being hard pressed to keep his rivals at bay in the finish.

Racing TV's Fran Berry said of the winner: "He'd arguably been frustrating as a four-year-old and hard to win with, but this autumn he's been awesome and he's really coming of age as a five-year-old by Heart's Cry. 

"I imagine the Arima Kinen at Christmas time - the race he won last year and where he really came back to form as a four-year-old - would be his swansong.

"At the age of five and given what he's done this year - and beng a Japanese Derby winner as a three-year-old - I don't think he has a lot more to prove."

But Berry added: "We've seen with this owner, the ambition is to win an Arc with Yutaka Take on board. Who knows - will he come back to Europe?"

"The ground will always be the thing with him at Longchamp but he's a more battle-hardened horse and he's got a big engine and getting better with age."

The adventure and endeavour of the Coolmore partners and trainer Aidan O'Brien failed to pay off with Auguste Rodin, who notably sweated up before the race in comparison to the local horses and the son of local hero Deep Impact couldn't provide a fairy tale finale in this famous race.

Speaking on the colt's pre-race apperance, Berry said: "Maybe the writing was on the wall. 

"He didn't seem to operate at all having had a good trip following [eventual fourth] Cervinia and with the winner in his slipstream."

Auguste Rodin signs off as an eight-time winner from his 16 career starts, winning Group One races aged two, three and four and with a glittering CV that includes Derby, Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf and Prince Of Wales's Stakes triumphs. 

He has already been given a covering fee of €30,000 before taking up stud duties at Coolmore from 2025.