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| Staff Writer |
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Daisuke Takayanagi has only been training since 2018 but with a special horse, anything is possible.
That horse is T O Keynes, the 6YO Sinister Minister x Maxim Café entire. So far he has won two Listed class races, two Group Three races and a Group One, in his native Japan. In 2021, at the Japanese Racing Association Awards, TO Keynes was named Best Dirt Horse after his spectacular success in the Gr.1 Champions Cup, where the win was by six lengths over Chuwa Wizard proving his ability on dirt.
New Year – New Strategy
Last year, he ran in the world’s most valuable race, the Gr.1 Saudi Cup, for an eighth-placing finish before he went on an 83-day layup, before placing fourth in both the Teio Sho and the Gr.1 Champions Cup. This year trainer Takayanagi has decided to bypass the Saudi Cup meeting and focus on a Dubai campaign. “Usually, he trains mainly on the slope course at the training center in Japan. I decided that it would be difficult to run him many times when traveling to a foreign country without slopes. “Last year, I ran him only in Saudi Arabia, but probably the dirt there didn't suit him, therefore he wasn't able to show his true performance. “So, this year I didn't take him to Saudi Arabia and I switched our sights to Dubai.” In his last start, being the Kawasaki Kinen he was beaten by half a length to Ushuba Tesoro, a race that the trainer says his horse came out of well. “He is in a good condition after the last run.” He added that even though the atmosphere and conditions were a little loud for his liking it was not seen as a failure. “He was a little bit noisy on that day, but the usual good times for him. “Although the result was second place it is not defeated by the content. As he turned outside at the last corner, the inside was scooped by Ushuba Tesoro behind him.” “He's in even better shape now than he was last time. Last year he ran one race and was left tired and he took a long time to recover. “So he was difficult to adjust, but this year he is less tired after horse racing. It seems that the horse has changed from last year, and his condition is definitely improving.”
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Planning Ahead
The trainer says he has been contemplating his horse running in the Gr.1 Dubai World Cup for over a year. “I've been thinking about this since last year.” His past runs have been up against horses such as last year’s Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road as well as members of this year’s Saudi Cup field in Jun Light Bolt and Crown Pride. “I watched a Japanese horse, Panthalassa wins the Saudi Cup this year. Many other Japanese horses have entered the top ranks alongside. T O Keynes is running evenly with them in Japan. “So I think it's no surprise that T O Keynes should be able to do well in this race.” The Dubai World Cup carries a prize purse of US$12 million dollars of which US$7.2 million goes to the winner. However, Takayanagi said it meant more than simply the spoils. “I went there last year too (to Dubai). “It is a big stage where great horses gather from all over the world. “If you can win there you can leave your name in the history of horse racing in the world. “So I’d like to go there and get great results.”