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| Rowan Anderson |
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The flag of Japan will be flown during the International Jockeys Challenge with the recent announcement of Yuga Kawada as the eight hoop to compete in the contest.
Racing is in his blood with his great-grandfather having been a jockey and a trainer, his grandfather was a trainer, and his father was a jockey and a trainer – he was born into the family passion and business started to ride at an early age.
Kawada is no stranger to being a pioneer for Japanese jockeys having piloted Loves Only You to victory in the 2021 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar. This victory marked the first Japan-based horse to win a World Championships race.
He has represented Japan at the International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley three times. As a five-time JRA award winner for the jockey with the highest winning percentage, achieving the feats in 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020, and 2021 he takes great pride in the saddle every ride.
In 2022, he took out two JRA Group 1 wins with Danon Scorpion (three-year-old colt, by Lord Kanaloa) in the NHK Mile Cup and Stars On Earth (three-year-old filly, by Duramente) in the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) and another five triumphs at Group 2 and Group 3 level.
The 37 year old hoop sealed his first Japanese championship in 2022 having finished second to Christophe Lemaire from 2019 to 2021 and he will now line up against the talent of Frankie Dettori, Joao Moreira and last year’s winner Caitlin Jones.
Following on from arguably his best season in the saddle that has seen him recognised as the newly-crowned Japan Racing Association Champion Jockey, Kawada is excited about competing in Riyadh on 24 February, the opening day of The Saudi Cup meeting.
"It is a rare opportunity to meet with my friends from all over the world and I am very much looking forward to riding together with them. I understand this could be the final opportunity to ride against Frankie Dettori and Joao Moreira, who are two jockeys that I respect greatly,” Kawada said.
“My hero is Frankie Dettori. There was a TV programme called “World Horse Racing” which my father loved. He used to always record it and we would watch it together. I remember the Epsom Derby in 1995 which Frankie won with Lammtarra – that gave me a lasting impression. Since then, Frankie has been my hero.
"This will be my first visit to Saudi Arabia. In fact, I was invited to the IJC in Saudi Arabia last year, however, as I would have had to spend a quarantine period on my return to Japan, due to COVID-19, I decided not to travel to Saudi unfortunately. I would like to thank the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia for inviting me again, and look forward to riding in Riyadh for the first time on 24 February.”
Three-time German Champion Jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev was also added to the field for the IJC.
Like Kawada, this will be the 30-year-old Kazakhstani jockey’s first trip to Saudi Arabia for the four-race event.
Each of the four IJC races carry a prize fund of $400,000, with a further $100,000 reward for winning the challenge itself.