Christmas comes early, as usual, for fans of horse racing in Japan. This Sunday once again sees the Group 1 Japan Cup run at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, just a short distance away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.
This year marks the 44th time for the autumn showpiece, and it is part of the Japan Racing Association¡¯s Autumn International Series of races, which comprises four weekends of Group 1 races.
First run back in 1981, the Japan Cup started as a challenge for Japanese horses to see how they would measure up against other top horses from different countries around the world. The first Japan Cup was won by the 5-year-old American-bred mare named Mairzy Doates, and was ridden by globe-trotting American jockey Cash Asmussen. It took the local horses a few years to match up to the might of the foreign runners, but sure enough, in 1984 ¡ª the year the race became officially recognized as an international Group 1 ¡ª Katsuragi Ace surprised at big odds and carried off the spoils for Japan.
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