Sunday Silence and Deep Impact
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October 2006 Vol. 14 No. 4 2 4 6 8 Deep Impact at the Sunday Silence and Trainer Kojiro Japanese Graded Prix De L’Arc De Deep Impact Hashiguchi reflects Race Results Triomphe on Heart’s Cry’s King George Assault October 1, 2006 The Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe (GI) Turf 2,400m Longchamp Racecourse, France 1st. Rail Link (Great Britain), Jockey: Stephane Pasquier 2nd. Pride (France), Jockey: Christophe Lemaire 3rd. Deep Impact (Japan), Jockey: Yutaka Take (c) Hisae Imai, New Market Deep Impact at the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe by Michael Tabart one program per patron policy, there were horse win. no programs left for those who arrived As the day went on, word began spread- just in time for the first race of the day. ing that Deep Impact was a crazy price on Japanese fans also queued at the several the French tote. It wasn’t unusual to see gift shops located around the racecourse, British patrons ringing their bookmakers as well as at betting windows hours be- back in the UK to back Deep Impact at fore the race was due to start. A special $3.00 or so, and then offering the Japa- help desk established for the Japanese nese fans around them a price in between racing fans was completely swamped, as a bit of fun. with queues so long they even impeded Videos were shown on the large moni- the entrance of many non-Japanese pa- tors opposite the grandstand, with footage trons coming into the course. Later of- of the jockeys and connections arriving on ficial announcements suggested that there course, and cheers were loud when Japa- were about 6,000 Japanese fans – anyone nese star jockey Yutaka Take was shown present on the day would tell you there arriving. But, the cheers went up a notch were many many more than that. Around when footage switched to the horses en- the mounting yard, there were Japanese tering the mounting yard for the big race fans everywhere, in the stands there were – the 2006 Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe. Rail Link (GB) won the race. (c) Hisae Imai, New Market hundreds of Japanese racing personalities Bearing the No. 1 saddlecloth, Deep – major breeders, trainers and media per- Impact paraded in the mounting yard When lively thunderstorms hit Paris on sonnel. with thousands of fans looking on. Deep Saturday night, 30th September 2006, the The betting window operators were Impact is surely used to being watched thousands of Japanese fans who had made overwhelmed. Thousands of Japanese by thousands in Japan, so when Take put the trip to France to watch Deep Impact with limited English – let alone French! his index finger to his lips – signaling to try to win the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe – trying to explain that they didn’t want the Japanese contingent to be quiet – it is were worried more about how the track one bet of 20 Euros on Deep Impact, they possible he was actually more concerned condition at Longchamp racecourse may wanted 10 bets of 2 Euros each, made about the European horses behind him be affected than they were about getting for plenty of confusion. The Longchamp being upset, rather than the affect it may wet in the rain. However, any concerns authorities (with the help of the JRA) have had on his champion. were allayed upon arrival at the track on had prepared special tickets in Japanese The European patrons were fascinated Sunday, with the official track rating be- for people wanting to do this, but clearly by Deep Impact at their first chance to see ing announced as 3.0, or “good”. many of the window operators had not the horse that so many had been talking The atmosphere at Longchamp was been briefed on this, and everywhere you about. He is a not a large animal, and that electric. There were long queues to get looked there were English and French pa- lack of size (combined with the way he into the track, as bus after bus arrived – trons lined up behind Japanese fans who handled himself so well at his first race most of them full of the annual English were stuck at the window explaining their appearance overseas) appeared to intrigue patrons, but many also full with Japanese bets for several minutes. the locals most. racing fans, who were coming to watch The quality of the lead-up races was The tension mounted as all 8 horses in one particular horse. With stories in Japa- top class, and the large British contingent the field made their way out of the mount- nese papers in the weeks leading up to was extremely vocal in cheering home ing yard and onto the track, and all horses the day that raceday memorabilia could their horses. There was a large mixture of were well behaved as they paraded single become extremely valuable, Japanese fans several nationalities – predominantly Brit- file in front of the grandstand. After break- repeatedly asked for numerous copies of ish, French and Japanese, but there was ing order, the horses galloped around to the official program being distributed just a wonderful atmosphere of sportsman- the starting position and the eyes of all inside the main gates, and even though ship, and a hope that the main race would switched to the large monitors on course Longchamp staff were strict in enforcing a evolve in a way that would let the best once again. Some Japanese may have been surprised by the low-key beginning ish in front of Deep Impact, of the race, but others felt that it enhanced although she could not quite the sense of tradition. No fanfares or bridge the gap on Rail Link. huge cheers from the crowd which sends The crowd was stunned. goosebumps through the fans as in Japan, There had been plenty of talk rather a silence full of anticipation as, one pre race about the top three by one, the entrants made their way into horses in the world clashing, the gates. The Longchamp staff allowed but in the end, none of them Deep Impact to be led into the gates last, were good enough to win and as soon as the Japanese challenger on the day. Wherever you took his place, the gates opened. turned, someone wanted to Whether it was due to loading last or tell you that the Arc is a race just a slower early pace than that in Japa- for the 3-year-olds and it was Deep Impact at the paddock at Longchamp Racecourse. nese racing, Deep Impact burst out of the obvious Rail Link had been a (c) Hisae Imai, New Market gates, and early on it looked like Take huge chance. But that wasn’t might allow the traditional backmarker enough for the Japanese fans. Why had he suggesting Deep Impact had not been to stroll to the lead. However Dominique been beaten? The track had suited. He had good enough and that no Japanese horse Boeuf on outsider Irish Wells also went been given every chance. He hit the lead was (although the English taunts would forward, and gradually he moved to the when it was hoped he would. Had it been not have understood by most!). The pole position, allowing Take to position a very fast pace? No, it hadn’t looked that more sympathetic locals tried to cheer Deep Impact behind the leader – which way, and the time was displayed as 2:31.7 the shocked Japanese, pointing out that had some of the Japanese fans worried, (which would be later revised to become 5 traveling half way around the world to while others voiced their opinion that he seconds faster!), so it couldn’t have been. be beaten less than a length by a 3-year- was perfectly placed. When Christophe If he had finished last, or been caught in old who was favorably treated under the Soumillon crossed to sit outside the leader traffic, then there may have been some weight scale was a very gallant effort. on Shirocco, Deep Impact fired up mo- obvious reason, but to be beaten less than But what does the result mean for Japa- mentarily, but Take managed to settle him a length left thousands confused. nese racing? The crowd dispersed after once more, and not long after, proceeded In the midst of this confusion, the the race, but all over Paris, racing people to push his mount outside the leaders and sportsmanship of the international crowd were debating what had happened, and take a position in running where he could was heartwarming. The unsuccessful what it all meant. Does it mean that it’s move forward as he pleased. challengers made their way back to the terribly hard to travel? Does it mean that Take made his move early, as expected, mounting yard, and one by one were you can’t tackle a race of that importance and at the top of the long straight, Deep greeted with applause from the crowd – a first up? Does it mean that 3-year-olds Impact moved into the lead. The crowd large round of applause for Deep Impact will always win the Arc? Does it mean roared, and the Japanese fans waited for of course. But the Japanese fans clapped that the best Japanese horses are inferior the explosive turn of foot they knew him as loudly as anyone when the victor re- to the best European horses? to have, to propel him lengths in front. turned - jockey Pasquier aboard Rail Link The pressure placed on Deep Impact For whatever reason, it never happened.