Dandino and Joshua Tree try for European win in Japan Cup

Dandino

Dandino and Joshua Tree face 16 rivals as they attempt to become the first overseas winner of the Japan Cup since Frankie Dettori partnered Alkaased to victory in 2005.

Dandino, who is trained by James Given, has not run since finishing eighth to Arctic Cosmos in the St Leger at Doncaster. Joshua Tree was three-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Dandino in fifth and since then Aidan O’Brien’s colt got up late to beat More Well by a head in the Grade One Canadian International at Woodbine last month.

Local opinion has Buena Vista - the winner of the Grade One Tenno Sho last time out and the mount of Christophe Soumillon - and Nakayama Festa – who beat Buena Vista by a half-length in the Grade One Takarazuka Kinen in June – as the two to beat. However, Given is happy with the way that preparations have gone thus far. “Everything’s gone well with the horse, the transport and getting him here,” Given said. “He had to have two separate flights. First, he flew from the UK to Amsterdam. He then spent a night there and then flew from Amsterdam to Tokyo.

"His first flight, which was only an hour or so long, he was a little bit nervous, he sweated a little bit on that first flight, but having had that experience, for the main whole flight from Amsterdam to Tokyo he was very relaxed and took the flight very well.

"He looks very healthy, fit and tight. I'm very pleased with the way he looks."

The ground at the Tokyo racecourse on Sunday will be firm which will suit Dandino, whom Given feels did not race with his usual zest on Doncaster’s rain-softened ground in the St Leger. “His form does suggest he's much better when it's a quicker ground. Two of his wins came this year at Epsom and the Royal Ascot on ground that was fairly quick," he said.

"I just don't think he's as effective when the ground is loose as he is on fast ground. He's had a canter around the track and it's pretty quick ground but I think that suits the horse and he seemed very comfortable on it."

The job as stable jockey to O’Brien for next season still remains open after Johnny Murtagh quit but Colm O'Donoghue has the chance to press his claims further here. "It's a very strong group of horses in the race and the pace of the race should be quite strong," the jockey said.

"But he's very versatile, he travels very well through his races I think which is very important, but he's quite adaptable to his races, it'll all depend on the pace of the race where I can place him, but he's very versatile."

Joshua Tree was one place behind Snow Fairy at Doncaster and with the dual Oaks winner having won Grade One Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup Kyoto in some style a fortnight ago, O'Brien's assistant Thomas Comerford is hopeful. "We all know how good Snow Fairy is and Joshua Tree probably didn't stay a mile and six [furlongs], and his best trip is a mile-and-a-half as we know now since Canada - probably his ideal trip.

"Finishing just behind Snow Fairy is very good indeed especially the way she won the last day and her winning in four lengths so it puts us in with a good shout.”
Prince Khalid Abdullah bids for a seventh victory in the Grade One Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park on Saturday.

The filly, trained Criquette Head-Maarek, will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano as she attempts to claim her first victory since winning both the 1000 Guineas and the French equivalent, Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, in the stewards’ room.

Paul Wheeler

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