29 ADIYAT RACING PLUS ISSUE 840 Thursday 4th April 2024 REVIEW / UAE DERBY adiyat racing plus.com adiyat racing plus.com MY TEACHER, MENTOR AND FATHER PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING AND I WANT TO DEDICATE THIS WIN TO HIM — YOSHITO YAHAGI. the champion three-year-old in Japan. I will do everything to prepare for Kentucky.” RUNNING HIGH ON AMBITION Owner Susumu Fujita has already started dreaming big with his exceptional colt that he has managed to lay his hands on in only his third season as an owner. “This is only my third season as an owner with the Japan Racing Association and I have already found a champion racehorse. I was a little concerned before the race, but this horse has shown great ability.” Being touted as the best Japanese contender for the Kentucky Derby yet, the prospect of breaking the ice at Churchill Downs for Japan excites Fujita, so does a crack at next year’s Dubai World Cup. “He continues to attract international attention for the Kentucky Derby, which tells me that he should have a good chance. Looking forward I would like to underline that I would like to win the Dubai World Cup,” he added. EMOTIONAL FOR YAHAGI It was also an emotional victory for Yahagi who lost his father in the early hours of Saturday. “My teacher, mentor and father passed away this morning and I want to dedicate this win to him,” Yahagi told the international press post-race. From those conquered in behind, Sheikh Mohammad bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s Auto Bahn caught the eye of plenty of onlookers as well as his trainer for the good reason he has made rapid progression in three starts this term despite giving plenty of weight to his rivals due to his Southern Hemisphere breeding. “We have been beaten by a really good horse, but Mickael (Barzalona) was super happy with him. He is a horse who has improved all season and off level weights (no Southern Hemisphere penalty) he will be a good horse for next season, perhaps to target at the Dubai World Cup. He will stay here for the summer,” said his trainer. For Olascoaga, the sky is the limit for not only the runner-up but Oasis Boy too who faded into ninth after making the running. "I think he will be a very capable horse over shorter distances. Probably, a mile is his trip,” he said. Away from the top two placegetters who dominated the proceedings of the UAE Derby, the Suited And Booted Racing Syndicateowned Mendelssohn Bay (Bhupat Seemar/ Patrick Cosgrave) was just touched off for third by a staying on Pandagate, trained by Christophe Clement and ridden by Dylan Davis. RESULTS 1. Forever Young (Ryusei /Yoshito) 2. Auto Bahn (Barzalona/Olascoaga) 3. Pandagate (Davis/Clement) Forever Young’s trainer Yoshito Yahagi (fourth left) lost his father in the early hours of Saturday
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