Shin Emperor concluded the major part of his build-up to Saturday's Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes with a reconnaissance gallop at Longchamp, where in a month's time connections hope he can break Japan's duck in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
With big-race jockey Ryusei Sakai and trainer Yoshito Yahagi due to arrive in France on Monday evening, the brother to 2020 Arc hero Sottsass breezed around a rain-softened Grande Piste in company with his travelling companion La Familia.
While Japanese racing and breeding is recognised as the equal of any territory the world over, homebred challengers have often struggled to adapt to European conditions in the autumn. However, having been bred in Normandy by Ecurie des Monceaux before his purchase at Arqana by Yahagi for €2,100,000 on behalf of owner Susumu Fujita, the son of Siyouni may turn out to be less vulnerable on that score.
"I believe he handled the ground well," said assistant trainer Yusaku Oka, who has overseen many of Yahagi's successful overseas raids.
"He worked on Les Aigles during the week with Cristian Demuro and it was soft ground that day, which he handled well. It’s soft again at Longchamp. His French pedigree seems to be a help when it comes to him working well on this ground."
Shin Emperor has gone close at Group 1 level on several occasions, having been edged out in the Hopeful Stakes at two, before running on to finish third in the Japanese Derby after taking time to find his stride in the straight.
"Shin Emperor settles very well so we don’t have any kind of issue with distance, and he won a Group 3 over ten furlongs as a two-year-old and ran very well over a mile and a half in the Japanese Derby," said Oka, who was aboard the lead horse in the work at Longchamp.
"We don’t really know which is his preferred distance, but he has the mentality to relax, which means he adapts to both.
"Physically, he is a totally different horse from the one who was running at two, but whether he has developed again since the Tokyo Derby, it’s very hard to judge. We believe this trip to Europe will bring him along for the future."
Leopardstown chief executive Tim Husbands was on hand at Longchamp to see Shin Emperor work, and is delighted to see Yahagi take up the challenge, five years after the Japanese-trained Deirdre finished fourth behind Magical in the Irish Champion.
"It’s hopefully the successful end to a two-year courtship with Mr Yahagi and his team," said Husbands. "We’ve worked very hard and kept in contact with them to encourage them, so I’m delighted they’ve made the effort to come to Ireland.
"It’s such an international field, not just that race but the whole festival. It’s being covered by 151 broadcasters globally, which I think shows the increased significance and interest."
Husbands added: "Having a World Pool day for us is very important, it gives us a global standing. The fact we have nine races on Saturday also adds value to the racegoers who are coming."
Shin Emperor will fly the flag for Japan when he takes his chance in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.
The chestnut is trained by Yoshito Yahagi, who has enjoyed top-level success across the world with the likes of Panthalassa, winner of the Dubai Turf and the Saudi Cup, Cox Plate hero Lys Gracieux and Breeders’ Cup and Hong Kong heroine Loves Only You.
His Irish Champion contender was last seen finishing third in the Japan Derby over a mile and a half, prior to which he was campaigned successfully over 10 furlongs at Group level.
He now steps back down to the latter trip and will be ridden by Ryusei Sakai for a race which has attracted eight runners, including William Haggas’ Economics and the top-quality Aidan O’Brien-trained duo of Auguste Rodin and Los Angeles.
“I don’t have any concern for that (the step down in trip), he ran the 2400m and I’m sure a horse needs stamina for this so I’m not concerned,” said Yahagi, who is also targeting the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with his Siyouni colt, who is a full-brother to 2020 Arc hero Sottsass.
“I am satisfied with the ground, Japanese horses should have no issue with the ground so I am very happy with it.
“When he was in Japan he was in good condition, if we compare from Japan to now he has improved, so he’s fit.
“He is at the moment a three-year-old so he will improve, I hope he will improve to be top level and I’m sure he will be a top-level horse in the future.”
The trip to Ireland is a first for many years for Yahagi, who visited the now defunct Phoenix Park racecourse in the late 80s and makes his first visit to Leopardstown for a race he is greatly anticipating.
“I came 35 years ago at Phoenix Park and this is my first time at Leopardstown,” he said, ahead of a race in which Deirdre finished fourth for Japan to Magical in 2019.
“There are a lot of top European horses, top competitive horses, against us. I’m really looking forward to running against these top horses in Europe.”
Shin Emperor pictured at Longchamp on Sunday | Scoop Dyga
Japanese raider Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on course to attempt an ambitious Group 1 double in the Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after coming through a racecourse gallop at Longchamp on Sunday morning.
Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, whose many international successes include a Breeders' Cup double in 2021, Shin Emperor was last seen in competitive action when finishing third in the G1 Japanese Derby in May. He arrived in Chantilly towards the end of last month and has slowly been building up his work ahead of his first assignment on European soil at Leopardstown on Saturday.
Connections of the three-year-old are confident that he's peaking at the right time as he tries to emulate full-brother Sottsass (Fr), who memorably won the Arc in 2020, having previously finished fourth in the Irish Champion. Shin Emperor himself was bought by Yahagi for €2.1 million at the Arqana August Yearling Sale.
Owner Susumu Fujita's racing manager Hiroshi Ando told Sky Sports Racing, “I spoke to both of the assistant trainers and the rider told them Shin Emperor adapted really well on the track and he said we could make no excuse for the ground. He felt really well and we are very satisfied.
“Of course, he has a French background and pedigree and that's why we are here. I have really realised Shin Emperor is French, because as soon as he was back in Chantilly, he reacted like he was back home! He looked very comfortable and he loved the French oats, which was a surprise, because normally the Japanese horses don't eat, but he ate very well. He's really loving being in France, I think.”
Ando added, “His full-brother Sottsass, I think he went to the Irish Champion Stakes, too, so we'll try to copy that, I guess. We thought that race is really good for us, so after galloping today, conditions should be good to go there, fitness-wise.
“Of course, we want to go to the Arc after that, so we have to manage his condition, but we will try our best for the Irish Champion Stakes, too.”
Regular pilot Ryusei Sakai will fly over to partner Shin Emperor and has been backed to handle such big tests.
“He is a very young jockey but he rode in the Kentucky Derby this year [beaten narrowly in third], he also won the UAE Derby and the Saudi Derby with Forever Young, so he's a very talented young jockey,” said Ando.
“Also, he won two years ago at Longchamp, so we don't have any issue with that.”
Leopardstown chief executive Tim Husbands is thrilled at the international dimension the Japanese trained Shin Emperor will bring to Saturday's Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (3.25) after the track made strenuous efforts to entice trainer Yoshito Yahagi to bring over the three-year-old.
Shin Emperor was last seen finishing third in the Japanese Derby and will become the second Japanese horse to line up in the 1m2f Group 1 after Deirdre finished fourth in 2019 for Mitsuru Hashida.
Husbands expects the ground to be good as the Irish Champions Festival kicks off at the track on Saturday with the Irish Champion Stakes the highlight along with the Group 1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (2.50).
