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| Staff Writer |
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Japanese ace has a busy couple of days ahead in Riyadh
Ryusei Sakai, a 26YO jockey hailing from a family with a deep-rooted horse racing background, is poised to leave his mark in Riyadh once more this upcoming weekend. His father, Hidemitsu, is a former jockey who currently trains in the NAR (Japanese provincial racing) circuit, and his uncle also had a successful career as a rider.
Sakai has attended three of the four previous Saudi Cup carnivals, clinching victory in last year's US$2m Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint astride returning champion Bathrat Leon (JPN). However, this will be his inaugural participation in the Invest Saudi International Jockey's Challenge.
"I have ridden in international races outside of Japan, and there are some great jockeys coming to ride in Japan as a short-term license holder every year. I have respect for those top jockeys, but I would still like to win if racing against them," he said.
"This year is my fourth year travelling to Saudi Arabia and I have witnessed the International Jockey’s Challenge. It means a lot to participate here as a Japanese representative."
Ryusei Sakai embarked on his professional journey in 2016 as an apprentice with the highly esteemed Yoshito Yahagi stable. Since then, he has achieved an impressive record of 401 victories, including four top-tier races in the Japan Racing Association (JRA). His career reached a pinnacle last year when he secured 107 wins, which included two Gr. 1 triumphs.
Sakai's career has taken him to eight different countries, showcasing his versatility and adaptability on the global stage. Notably, he spent a year in Australia from 2017 to 2018, a rare feat for a young Japanese jockey due to the language and cultural barriers often associated with international travel.
"There are some brilliant jockeys in Japan, but the beauty of riding on the international stage is competing against the legends of the racing world. Those experiences contribute to improving my skills as a jockey," he said.
Aside from Bathrat Leon, Sakai’s partner include the particularly exciting Forever Young (JPN) in the US$1.5m Boutique Group Saudi Derby and Japan’s dirt hero Lemon Pop (USA) in the US$20m The Saudi Cup.
"Forever Young has a good chance in the Saudi Derby. He has huge potential that even I can’t imagine," he explained.
"The Saudi Cup is a highly competitive race this year. We have the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, the Pegasus World Cup winner, and the Dubai World Cup winner. This race could decide the champion of the dirt. It is exciting to challenge such a race with Lemon Pop."