Pair keep Japanese dreams alive in The Arc

The two Japanese contenders in this year’s €5 million (S$7.27 million) Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2,400m) may be among the less fancied ones in the market, but Japan will be hoping either Meisho Tabaru or Admire Terra can finally break the duck for them.

The Land of the Rising Sun has produced world-class gallopers that dominated various racing tracks overseas, yet they have not yet been able to claim the famous French showpiece – also known as The Arc – since Speed Symboli first competed in 1969.

But they did come agonisingly close before with four seconds: El Condor Pasa in 1999, Nakayama Festa in 2010 and Orfevre in 2012 and 2013.

Meisho Tabaru and Admire Terra, who have both arrived at ParisLongchamp for the prestigious international race on Oct 4, were two of seven Japanese runners announced during the early nominations.

Fans probably got their hopes up when Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (2,000m) hero Forever Young headed the Japanese entries then, but the Yoshito Yahagi-trained five-year-old has since gone on to win the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup (2,000m) at Belmont Park on Sept 19.

Yahagi has also confirmed the son of Real Steel will continue to train at Belmont Park before shooting for a back-to-back double in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct 31.

Even so, many Japanese, like Keisuke Imamura – who works as the general manager at the Japan Racing Association (Paris Office) – will be keeping their fingers crossed with Meisho Tabaru and Admire Terra in the 105th edition of The Arc.

“They have done very well in Japan and are highly rated at this level,” he said.

“I think they handle the ground at ParisLongchamp very well, so we are really looking forward to see them run.

“The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is a special race for the Japanese racing community, and it’s also probably the best known international race in Japan.

“It’s been more than 50 years since the first Japanese horse took on The Arc, but we still haven’t won it.

“For everyone involved in Japanese racing, winning The Arc would be a long-held dream.”

Trained by Mamoru Ishibashi, Meisho Tabaru is a two-time Grade 1 winner in Japan, where he landed the Takarazuka Kinen (2,200m) twice in 2025 and 2026.

He has also travelled to Dubai in 2025, when he finished fifth behind fellow Japanese raider Soul Rush in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1,800m).

The five-year-old entire is also a son of Gold Ship, who finished unplaced in the 2014 edition of The Arc.

Admire Terra, another five-year-old, last finished third in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen (2,000m) on Aug 16.

But the Yasuo Tomomichi-trained son of Rey de Oro has two Grade 2 victories to his name, including his last win in the Hanshin Daishoten (3,000m) on March 22.

While Meisho Tabaru is set to be ridden by his regular partner and legendary Japanese jockey Yutaka Take, Admire Terra will have Cristian Demuro in the saddle.

The Italian jockey has won the Arc twice previously aboard Sottsass in 2020 and Ace Impact in 2023.

Though he has never ridden Admire Terra at his 15 starts in Japan, Demuro was happy with the grey galloper’s trackwork gallop on Sept 22.

“It was nice. We just did one mile on the soft ground,” said the reigning French champion jockey.

“He likes this, but I think no matter what ground it is on The Arc day, it’s okay because he can do both good and soft ground.

“The horse is in good shape and we hope everything goes well and we’ll try our best.”