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| Staff Writer |
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If we go back 12 months, we'd find that a lot of people were talking about Do Deuce and his challenge for the Gr.1 Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World (1800m). The focus was mainly on trainer Yasuo Tomomichi's exceptional track record when it comes to traveling horses abroad, especially to Meydan.
Unfortunately, a chance to extend that brilliant sequence was lost 24 hours before the 2023 running. Do Deuce, one of only two horses to have defeated future world's best racehorse Equinox, was scratched in conjunction with Emirates Racing Authority vets.
However, both the horse and trainer are back now and looking to set the record straight. Do Deuce has returned from his injury and posted a victory in the Gr.1 Arima Kinen (2500m) at Nakayama in late December. That win was just as impressive as his Gr.1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2400m) verdict over Equinox.
“We came last year but couldn’t run because of his injury and what happened with Do Deuce that day is still a fresh memory,” Tomomichi told a packed media conference at Meydan racecourse on Wednesday morning.
“Straight after Dubai Do Deuce went back to Northern Farm where they took care of getting him right after that setback.”
Tomomichi expressed his admiration for Dubai and his desire to participate in the races there every year. Vivlos, who won the 2017 Dubai Turf and finished second to Benbatl in 2018 and Almond Eye in 2019, had previously helped him maintain an almost perfect record in Dubai before last year.
Tomomichi acknowledges that Do Deuce was outperformed by Equinox in both the Gr.1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) and the Gr.1 Japan Cup (2400m) last autumn. However, he explains that several factors, including the absence of owner Masaaki Matsushima's preferred jockey due to injury, worked against Do Deuce. The Arima Kinen proved to be a turning point for the pair.
“The first start of his autumn campaign after that layoff, he was a little bit too fresh,” said the trainer. “Then he raced in the Japan Cup, when his condition was completely different.
"Unfortunately Yutaka Take couldn’t ride him at the time but for the Arima Kinen, he maintained his condition and Yutaka Take was back onboard. Everything came together and he won very impressively, with everything working really well.”
According to the team, Do Deuce's strengths align well with the expected strong pace in the Dubai Turf, and Tomomichi is excited about reducing the distance of his exceptional horse.
He said, “When you look at his physique, he looks like a miler or even a sprinter. He is a very muscular horse and it’s his mentality and his heart which means he stays the longer trip. But physically he suits a mile or nine furlongs.”
Trainer Tomomichi has established himself as a skilled Derby trainer, having secured victories in the Tokyo Yushun with Makahiki in 2016 and Wagnerian two years later.
When questioned about Do Deuce's abilities in comparison to his previous champions, Tomomichi admitted to being pleasantly surprised by the horse's rise to success in 2022.
“Do Deuce was a May foal and horses by his sire, Heart’s Cry, generally need time and are not typically 2YO or precocious types,” he said.
“When Do Deuce came to my stables at two, he looked like a nice horse but nothing special. He has improved race by race, and giving him time has allowed him to get stronger and produce these brilliant performances.
“Comparing him to some of the other Derby winners I’ve trained, they were more precocious horses and he certainly wasn’t like that.”