Japan's Orfevre ready for Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

PARIS (AFP) –

Orfevre, ridden by French jockey Christophe Soumillon, pictured at the horse racing center, on October 3, in Lamorlaye, north of Paris. Japanese equine star Orfevre was promoted to favourite for the world’s most prestigious middle distance race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, after winning the influential Arc trial the Group Two Prix Foy at Longchamp, on September 16.

Should Orfevre give Japan their first win in Europe’s most prestigious race the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday it should be considered a magnificent feat for the whole country, his trainer Yasutoshi Ikee said.

The 37-year-old – who first dreamed of winning the Arc when he worked for English training great Sir Michael Stoute in the late 1990′s – will not only be trying to end 32 years of frustration for his compatriots but also make up for his father Yasuo’s disappointment in the 2006 edition.

For Yasuo – also a trainer and the first member of the family to be involved in racing – brought Deep Impact over as a hot favourite for the Arc but he could finish only third and was subsequently disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance.

Thus Yasutoshi, who has been a trainer since 2003, is more aware than many of the great expectations surrounding his horse, who last year became the first Japanese Triple Crown winner since Deep Impact achieved that in 2005.

He hopes the similarities end there and that Orfevre succeeds where 12 previous challenges failed in a race that holds a mythical status for Japanese turfistes.

“To give Japan their first win in what is the most important race in the world would be truly magnificent,” said Ikee on Wednesday before the massed ranks of the media such has been the interest engendered by Orfevre.

Coach Yasutoshi Ikee (C) speaks with French jockey Christophe Soumillon after a training session of Soumillon with Japanese horse Orfevre, on October 3, at the horse racing center in Lamorlaye, north of Paris. Orfevre has been promoted to favourite for the world’s most prestigious middle distance race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“It has been a dream of mine for nearly 20 years and for the Japanese people it has been even longer.”

As to how he will feel should he succeed in what has become Japanese racing’s search for the Holy Grail he was not certain.

“I won’t know until it happens,” he said with a smile.

“One thing is for sure the pleasure will be greater than it is now.”

Ikee has left nothing to chance in the preparations for the Arc of the five time Group One winner including taking the unprecedented step for a Japanese stable of putting on board a non-Japanese rider.

However, it is no ordinary jockey he has chosen – step forward France-based Belgian ace and two-time Arc winning rider Christophe Soumillon, who got to know the Ikee family by riding for them in Japan in the past two years.

“He has won two Arcs, he knows the terrain and is a great jockey plus one that we know,” said Ikee.

Ikee’s decision met with the approval of the man who had Soumillon on board for his two Arc wins, Alain de Royer Dupre, who saddles one of the great dangers to Orfevre in last year’s runner-up Shareta.

“If Orfevre has an advantage it is Soumillon,” the 68-year-old trainer told AFP.

“He won twice for us (Dalakhani 2003, Zarkava 2008). The Japanese always used to put their own jockeys on their horses and that was a disadvantage.

“I feel that in terms of choosing a jockey it is rather like football, it is easier playing at home than away.”

Ikee, who also had a spell working in the United States before he returned home, is also not concerned by Orfevre’s habit of switching off in races, which whilst he is phlegmatic about it if repeated in the Arc would be fatal.

“I am not too concerned where he finds himself in the initial stages so long as he finds his rhythm,” he said.

Ikee is confident that his star has made significant progress since he won the traditional Arc prep race for older horses the Prix Foy at Longchamp nearly three weeks ago, although even with his pacemaker Aventino, who performs the same task on Sunday, it was a slow run affair.

“I believe he is getting better and better every day and I am confident.

“He is a winner, he has the spirit of a champion and he has adapted to the different terrain in France.”

Aside from dreading rain as his horse prefers good ground the only thing that ruffled the trainer was the undue attention of former jump racing star Al Capone III, who peered out of his stable and chomped away at his jacket.

“Have I ever had an interview interrupted by a horse before? Yes just once and that was Orfevre!”