Dettori To Partner Alkaased

Frankie Dettori will partner the Luca Cumani-trained Alkaased in the Japan Cup on Sunday.

The former champion jockey has ridden the five-year-old once before when the pair linked up to score in the Group One Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in June.

Cumani said: 'Frankie will ride him - he knows the horse well so that´s good.'

Alkaased was denied the chance to showcase his talents at the highest level after a bad blood count ruled him out of the Breeders´ Cup Turf at Belmont Park last month.

The Kingmambo entire has now recovered from that set-back and is reportedly in flying form ahead of the one-mile-four-furlong contest.

'He´s really well and travelled well so we are happy,' added the Newmarket handler, who will fly out to Japan this afternoon.

'He travelled there last Wednesday and took it really well - he´s not lost much weight at all.

'He didn´t race in the Breeders´ Cup so did not have a taxing time. He then came back and worked a couple of times and is in extremely good order.

'That´s why we are sending him to Japan.'

Ouija Board also arrived safely in the Far East last Thursday ahead a tilt at the Japan Cup and the Hong Kong Cup on December 11.

'She´s there and is in quarantine with all the other European horses so, touch wood, things are going well,' trainer Ed Dunlop told At The Races.

'She travelled well and lost 10 kilos during the flight but the majority of that she has put back on.'

Ouija Board was last seen narrowly failing to land back-to-back victories in the Breeders´ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, where she put in her best work at the finish when beaten a length and a quarter by all-the-way winner Intercontinental.

Last year´s English and Irish Oaks winner will be ridden by Kieren Fallon, who last partnered the four-year-old in the Filly & Mare Turf last year.

'It´ll be almost a month between the Japan and Hong Kong races which means we have had to do things slightly differently because she´s been in quarantine a lot longer,' Dunlop said.

'She spent a week in quarantine and will go to Tokyo racecourse on Wednesday.

'And as long as the next stage goes well (moving her to Tokyo racecourse) hopefully we are on course for the race at the weekend.

'She deserves to take her chance.'

Ouija Board is currently 9-2 with William Hill to win the Japan Cup, while Alkaased is an 8-1 chance with the same company.

Last year´s winner Zenno Rob Roy, second behind Electrocutionist in the Juddmonte in the summer, is Hills´ 2-1 favourite.

Japan Cup, William Hill betting: 2-1 Zenno Rob Roy, 4-1 Bago, 9-2 Ouija Board, 8-1 Alkaased, Heavenly Romance, 12-1 Delta Blues, Hearts Cry, Tap Dance City, 14-1 Better Talk Now, Kings Drama, Lincoln, 16-1 Warrsan, 25-1 Admire Japan, Big Gold, Cosmo Bulk, Suzuka Mambo, 33-1 Hookpia Wave, Six Sense, Sunrise Pegasus, Stormy Cafe, Yamanin Albaster, 40-1 Balance of Game, 50-1 Higher Game, My Sole Sound.

? PA Sport