Japan's dirt champion confirms Dubai World Cup favouritism

Dubai: Kane Hekili, Japan's undisputed champion dirt horse, strengthened's his position as favourite for next month's $6 million Dubai World Cup with a rousing victory in yesterday's Group 1 February Stakes at the Tokyo Fuchu racecourse.

Voted 2005 Dirt Horse of the Year in Japan, Kane Hekili defeated Seeking The Dia and Utopia to notch his eighth career win from nine starts.

Ridden by Yutaka Take, Japan's champion jockey, Kane Hekili became the first horse to win both the Japan Dirt Cup (Grade 1) and the February Stakes.

He recorded a time fractionally slower than the track record, set by Meisho Bowler last year, but was eased down in the final stages of yesterday's 1,600 metre race.

Immediately after the event Kane Hekili's owner Makoto Kaneko confirmed plans for Dubai and also sought a Dubai World Cup invitation for the third placed Utopia.

Seeking the Dia, narrowly beaten by Kane Hekili in last November's Japan Cup, suffered heartbreak again and finished runner-up for the sixth time in seven starts.

Kane Hekili is now set to lead Japan's strongest ever raiding party to this year's Dubai World Cup meeting.

Beside the multiple Grade 1 winner the Japanese contingent includes 2005 Champion Older Horse of the Year 'Heart's Cry' and 2005 Champion Sprinter or Miler 'Hat Trick', while Asakusa Den'en and Flamme de Passion add to the Japanese's firepower.

Seeking The Dia and Utopia are also probables.

Heart's Cry, who was second in both the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen and Japan Cup, before breaking through for his first and only Group 1 win in the Arima Kinen at the end of December, is being targeted at the Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) while Hat Trick will take his chance in the Dubai Duty Free (Group 1).

Flamme de Passion warmed up for a shot at the UAE Derby (Group 1) by winning his final start yesterday.

Also ridden by Yutake Take Flamme de Passion did look to be in trouble at the top of the straight when held up behind a wall of horses. However, when pulled to the outside by his rider he made up ground with ease, went past the leaders and won easily.

Shunsuke Yoshida, President of Sunday Racing, the syndicate that owns the horse, said that the horse would have his next start in the UAE Derby on March 25. Flamme de Passion, Kane Hekili and Hat Trick are all trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, who was the top earning trainer in Japan last season.