Japanese Horses Cleared For Spring Carnival
- Thursday, 29 July 2010 00:53
Racing Victoria has welcomed the news that Japanese horses have been cleared for travel to Australia in time for the 2010 Spring Racing Carnival.
The Federal Government and AQIS last night approved two pre-export quarantine facilities in Japan paving the way for a Japanese tilt at the historic 150th Emirates Melbourne Cup.
Japanese horses have been banned from travelling to Australia since Equine Influenza outbreaks in both countries in 2007.
When they last competed in Australia, stablemates Delta Blues and Pop Rock finished one-two in the 2006 Melbourne Cup.
This followed Eye Popper’s second placing in the BMW Caulfield Cup 12 months prior.
“This now paves the way for Japanese horses to travel to Australia. The approval of the preexport facilities at Tokyo and Nakayama was the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle with Tokyo the preferred venue for Spring Racing Carnival aspirants,” Racing Victoria General Manger – Racing Operations, Leigh Jordon, said.
“We extend our appreciation to the Federal Government, in particular Minister Tony Burke, and AQIS for their efforts in finalising the approval process in time for this year’s Spring Racing Carnival.
“This approval delivers a positive outcome for the state of Victoria and indeed the nation with a large contingent of Japanese media and tourists now set to join their horses in Melbourne in the coming months.”
Whilst Tokyo and Nakayama were signed off, a third quarantine facility at Miho was not approved by AQIS, who are supplying Japanese officials with structural modifications that can be made for approval to be granted in the future.
Jordon explained that Jaguar Mail and Meiner Kitz, the first two horses home in this year’s Group 1 Tenno Sho, Japan’s premier two-mile handicap, are eager to target the Melbourne Cup and are now favoured to travel to Australia.
The Noriyuki Hori-trained Jaguar Mail, who is owned in the same interests as Delta Blues and Pop Rock, was ridden by Australian jockey Craig Williams in the Tenno Sho and the four-time Scobie Breasley Medallist has been booked for his spring campaign.
“The Japanese horses proved during the 2005 and 2006 Spring Racing Carnivals that they are world class performers and their presence in the 150th Emirates Melbourne Cup, and any lead-up races for that matter, would add immense intrigue,” Jordon said.
The approval of quarantine protocols between Australia and Japan may also pave the way for an historic new chapter in the AAMI Victoria Derby.
The connections of Break A Theory, a stablemate of Meiner Kitz, have expressed interest in becoming the first internationally-trained runner to contest Victoria’s coveted three-year-old staying race.
Picture: Claire Usmar
