🔗 Share this article

An industry expert observes, “If you’re living in Japan and open a racing paper, three major sports appear. Baseball is one, sumo wrestling is another, and the third is thoroughbred racing. We are always exposed to racing, and thoroughbreds are beautiful animals. The challenge and passion are palpable, with the Arc as the ultimate goal because we’ve been trying to win for over five decades. That explains Japanese people are deeply connected.”

Renewed Ambition

Countless enthusiasts from Japan journeying to Paris and millions more tuning in back home, it is that time as usual. Since Speed Symboli, the first Japanese-trained runner in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, came in 11th over five decades ago, 32 more have tried and failed. This year, another trio – Byzantine Dream, Alohi Alii and Croix Du Nord – aim to break the streak.

One standout case of persistence amid painful and often bitter experience, there is little to match it in international sport. England fans might complain over decades of disappointment, yet their squad boasts a World Cup win. Since the 1990s, the nation’s turf sport has expanded as the richest and most successful globally. All it has to show after enormous spending and countless journeys are numerous of increasingly agonising disappointments.

Bitter Defeats

• El Condor Pasa came up just short against the winner while in front until the last moment.
• Deep Impact, bringing masses of supporters, finished a close third in his attempt before being disqualified due to a prohibited substance.
• The 2010 entry was narrowly beaten by the winning horse.
• Perhaps the most painful charged into a clear lead in the final stretch then drifted and was overtaken by Solemia.

Bad ground combined with misfortune, regarding post positions and racing incidents, have been factors to the winless streak. Horses accustomed to quick surfaces at home often struggle on the deep ground that generally prevails at Longchamp in early October. An expert perspective suggests it was part of a learning process. “If you are an owner victorious in the Derby, the natural conclusion is: ‘We might be able to win an Arc,’ but sometimes it’s not the case because it looks similar, but it’s a totally different game.

“Domestic tracks are very level with domestic runners developed into precision machines, but in Europe, more versatile athletes, as the turf looks green and smooth in reality, it feels different. This is why trainers and owners have studied a lot to select entrants which both run on smooth ground and greater resilience.

2024's Trio

It is certainly striking that the three Japanese challengers set to compete have all had a typically European training regimen: time off in summer then a tune-up event. It is not the biggest team that Japan has fielded for this race – several in the past placed apart among the also-rans – yet they possess notable depth.

Is success imminent allowing the pilgrims celebrate at last for their indefatigable devotion for these athletes.

“Fundamentally, wagering is limited nationally only a handful of permitted activities, including horse racing,” Kusano says. “Yet the governing body has done a very good job in rebranding the sport away from mere gambling as a multifaceted spectacle accessible to all, connecting fans with the sport distinctly internationally.

“In the view of enthusiasts, with elite runners participating, of course people will travel, to share in the challenge. Victories in Hong Kong and the Middle East across various venues with similar surfaces, this trophy is that we have wanted to tick for a long time.”