Satono camp plug into new tech as Japan's big hope limbers up for Foy

Satono Diamond, Japan's big hope to lay the country's Arc de Triomphe hoodoo to rest, was fitted with the latest technology when he turned in a powerful display on Chantilly's Les Aigles round gallop on Wednesday.

Trainer Yasutoshi Ikee – who will be attempting to go one better in the Arc after twice finishing runner-up with Orfevre – is still in Japan but will have had every available piece of feedback even before speaking to work rider Yuki Iwasaki, who was fitted with hi-tech Google Glass eyewear – and a GPS transmitter as the horse had his last serious workout before the Prix Foy on September 10.

"The glasses show the speed the horse is travelling every 200 metres as well as giving the heart rate," explained Ikee's assistant Kazuhiro Nakazawa. "He is also carrying a GPS transmitter and so the trainer can decode the technical aspects of the work."

While Ikee benefits from detailed information on the gallop the glasses also aid the work rider in knowing how fast he is going.

Ikee's compatriot Noriyuki Hori used a similar set up in Hong Kong ahead of Neorealism's Audemars Piguet QEII Cup victory in April.

Satono Diamond, a best-priced 12-1 for the Arc in which he will be partnered by the Japanese-based Chantilly native, Christophe Lemaire, boasts an extremely consistent profile, having posted an RPR of 122 or higher on five of his last six starts, dating back to his nose defeat to Makahiki in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby).

Winner of last season's Japanese St Leger and the year-ending Arima Kinen, Satono Diamond travelled easily in behind his Group 3-winning pacemaker, the seven-year-old Satono Noblesse, and strode out well to just pull ahead of his companion at the end of the seven-furlong gallop.

"The work went well with no problems," said Nakazawa. "In Japan that would be considered quite a long piece of work and you wouldn’t find many horses that gallop 1,400 metres [seven furlongs] in the morning. They tend to concentrate on 1,000m, sometimes 1,200m."

The son of Deep Impact is likely to have a lighter piece of work next week but connections are not planning on a trip down the road from Satoshi Kobayashi's host stable to familiarise Satono Diamond with the racecourse ahead of the Foy a week on Sunday.

Diamond dossier

For a horse who is generally third favourite for the Arc, many European observers may know surprisingly little about Japan’s principal challenge for the race that the nation’s racing community covets above all others.

Not that jockey Christophe Lemaire or trainer Yasutoshi Ikee need much in the way of introduction, and it is their partnership which may play a large part in explaining why bookmakers are showing such respect for Satono Diamond.

Lemaire is a multiple Classic winner in his native France as well as in Britain and Japan, while Ikee twice came close to Arc glory with Orfevre and also assisted his father’s 2006 challenge with the great Deep Impact.

Part of Japan’s highly rated three-year-old crop of 2016, Satono Diamond progressed from a third placed finish over an inadequate 1m2f in the 2,000 Guineas (Satsuki Sho) to just being caught on the wire by Makahiki in the Derby (Tokyo Yushun).

While Makahiki was sent to Europe to challenge at Chantilly 12 months ago, Ikee and owner Hajime Satomi elected to stay at home and let Satono Diamond mature, a ploy which paid off spectacularly with a win in the St Leger and a thrilling late surge to deny Kitasan Black in the seasonal climax of the Arima Kinen on Christmas Day.

This season has been geared to an autumn in Europe but in both his comeback Group 2 success and a third placed effort behind Kitasan Black in the Tenno Sho over two miles, Satono Diamond has continued to post impressive Racing Post Ratings with metronomic regularity.

Japan's nearly horses

David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds sang about England's 30 years of hurt at major football championships, and although there may not be a song about Japan's agony in the Arc, the nation's desire to succeed in the race is comparable to that of English fans when a big tournament rolls around. There have been some heartbreaking near-misses, but every year Arc fever grips the country as another intrepid runner tries to end the hoodoo. We look back at some of those who came close, but not close enough

El Condor Pasa - 1999

It all could have been so different. Japanese interest in the race started to grow when El Condor Pasa stretched away at the top of the straight, and there was only one danger giving chase. Sadly that danger was none other than Montjeu, who wore down El Condor Pasa to get up by half a length.

Deep Impact - 2006

The fanatical levels of support for Yasuo Ikee's runner at Longchamp led to a collapse in Deep Impact's price prior to the off, and with three furlongs left, excitement reached fever pitch as the colt hit the front. However he was picked off by Rail Link and Pride to finish third. Rubbing salt into the wound, Deep Impact was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.

Nakayama Festa - 2010

Another agonising defeat for El Condor Pasa's trainer Yoshitaka Ninomiya and jockey Masayoshi Ebina came 11 years later, as Nakayama Festa slugged it out with Workforce. The two waged war in the final two furlongs, but it was Sir Michael Stoute's runner who prevailed by a head.

Orfevre - 2012 & 2013

Orfevre has the unfortunate distinction of finishing runner-up two years in a row. In 2012, a weak Arc looked there for the taking and Orfevre warmed up for the race by winning the Prix Foy. But 33-1 outsider Solemia spoiled the party when beating Orfevre by a neck. Back came connections a year later, but this time Treve was on the scene. Cue a five-length defeat.

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