Dubai: Japan will be well represented in this year's Dubai World Cup (G1), as the famous mare Buena Vista will be joined by Victoire Pisa.
One of the few to have beaten Buena Vista, this colt is coming off a smooth win at home, where he registered his seventh success in the Nakayama Kinen (G2). He is already pretty good, this son of Neo Universe, and he may well be on the upgrade still.
He is also a pretty experienced traveller, having raced twice in top company in France last year, where he managed fourth to Behkabad in the Prix Niel (G2) before finishing seventh in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1). Such trips can take a lot out of a racehorse but Victoirte Pisa showed no ill-effects when returning to Japan.
In fact, he produced what was probably his best performance to date with a fine third in the Japan Cup (G1) at Tokyo racecourse in November, beaten only by Buena Vista and Rose Kingdom (who was awarded the race after a stewards' enquiry).
He is a son of Neo Universe, a highly successful Japanese stallion out of the British mare Whitewater Affair, who was strong on stamina in her racing days. Neo Universe won the Japanese Derby (G1) and finished fourth in the Japan Cup (G1) back in 2003.
