Vodka holds on to take Japan Cup by  a nose

Report: Japan, Sunday

Tokyo: Japan Cup (Group 1) 1m4f, turf

VODKA (Katsuhiko Sumii/Christophe Lemaire) became the winningmost Group 1 winner in Japan when just holding off the late thrust of Oken Bruce Lee to claim her seventh victory at the highest level by the shortest of short heads.

Conduit, the 9-4 favourite, finished fourth on the final start of his career before retiring to be a stallion at Big Red Farm.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained runner stayed on late under Ryan Moore after missing the break and being unsuited by the steady pace.

The other British raider, Richard Hannon's Scintillo, finished down the field in 11th.

Reach The Crown, ridden by Yutaka Take who was replaced on Vodka by Christophe Lemaire, made most of the running and stacked the field up turning into the home straight.

He forged on up the straight but was left standing by an electric turn of pace by Vodka  who shot clear, but her suspect stamina started to give way in the final furlong.

The five-year-old mare Vodka appeared to be treading water as Oken Bruce Lee (Hidetaka Otonashi/Hiroyuki Uchida) thundered up the middle of the track and the pair flashed across the finishing line together.

After a photo-finish that seemed to take an eternity, the verdict was given to 4-1 second favourite Vodka, just millimetres in front of 8-1 chance Oken Bruce Lee. Red Desire (14-1) ran on for third.

After the photo was called, winning jockey Christophe Lemaire admitted he wasn't confident. Quoted on Japan Racing's website, he said: "After the winning post, I thought very negative, I thought I was beaten because many things come into your head, like Heart's Cry against Alkaased (in 2005).

"Last weekend, I didn't win a race and this weekend, I didn't win until the Japan Cup. You think you are in a bad wave. He came so fast on the outside, I really had a doubt."

The win also had the connections of Vodka, who was later revealed to have bled after the race, waiting in nervous anticipation.

"It's not good for your heart," owner Yuzo Tanimizu said. "I had complete faith in the horse, but I was nervous. Winning the Japan Cup means a lot to me, because we finished third last year and fourth the years before. We came back this year to pick up what we feel like we left behind.

"But I knew this year was different from the moment she set foot on the course. When the result finally came out, I was relieved."

Tanimizu did not give a definitive answer when asked about Vodka's future.

"I think we're nearing the time where we have to make some kind of decision," he said. "I'll talk to the people at the stable about it first because they know her better than anyone. It's all up to the horse, but we just always try to take it one race at a time."

Dual Breeders' Cup Turf hero Conduit finished a gallant fourth, which pleased trainer Sir Michael Stoute.

He said: "We knew it would be hard, and three weeks between the Breeders' Cup and here is not very long with all the travelling  involved. He's run his heart out like he alwaysdoes."

Ryan Moore was also pleased with Conduit's effort, he added: "I would have liked them to go faster to bring his stamina into play.

"When Vodka kicked she seemed to take three lengths out of the field, and I thought she was the winner, but she must have been dying on her feet in the last 100 yards. My  fellow has run very well in the circumstances."

The other British runner, the Richard Hannon-trained Scintillo, although never a threat, was far from disgraced back in 11th, beaten around eight and three quarter lengths.

Assistant Richard Hannon jnr said afterwards: "He's run well, and I was pleased with that effort in this company."
 
Of the US hopes, the Jonathan Sheppard-trained Just As Well fared best, running on doggedly to take seventh.