Japan Cup: Williams pipped at post

By David Nagel
CRANBOURNE jockey Craig Williams came agonisingly close to adding the prestigious Japan Cup (2400m) to his spring trophy collection when he was edged out in the $6.5 million event at Fuchu in Tokyo on Sunday afternoon.
Williams was looking to become the first Australian jockey to win the race since Michael Clarke saluted aboard the David Hayes trained Better Loosen Up in 1990. He joins Mick Dittman as a runner-up jockey in the race after he piloted the Lee Freedman trained Naturalism into second place in 1992.
The local hoop, who won the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival before taking out last weekend’s Group One Winterbottom Stakes in Perth, rode an inspired race aboard Tosen Jordan to finish second to Buena Vista.
Williams was aggressive early from the outside barrier 16 and slotted into second spot surprisingly comfortably. While he looked under pressure at the top of the straight, Tosen Jordan responded to strike the front inside the final 200m and it was only in the final 75m that Buena Vista got the better of him.
“My horse ran a great race from the car park (barrier 16),” Williams said.
“He gave a kick after we straightened, but the winner was too good.”
The final margin was a half neck with classy veteran Jaguar Mail two lengths away third. It was a fitting result for local star Buena Vista, who was first over the line in last year’s Japan Cup, but controversially lost the race to Rose Kingdom on protest.
The Hiroyoshi Matsuda-trained Buena Vista was ridden to victory by Yasunari Iwata, the man who partnered Delta Blues to victory in the 2006 Melbourne Cup.
Superstar German filly Danedream, a stunning winner of the Arc de Triomphe in October, was sent out favourite, but settled towards the rear and was never a factor, finishing in sixth place.
Williams, meanwhile, confirmed that he will head to Hong Kong on Tuesday week to ride Dunaden in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Vase (2400m) at Sha Tin on 11 December.
“I’ll get there early, so I will be able to ride track work. At this stage, I’ve only got Dunaden as a confirmed mount, but there’s a possibility I may pick up another ride or two from John Size,” Williams said.