Japanese Raiders In Top Trim

Vermilion impressed work-watchers ahead of Saturday's Dubai World Cup as the only Japanese raider for the planet's richest race appears to have settled in well.

The big-race mount of Christophe Lemaire, he easily won a Grade One on his last start and worked on the main Nad Al Sheba track, clocking a quick 10.9 seconds for the last 200 metres.

Trainer Sei Ishizaka said: 'I had a plan to work with the easy pace of 15 seconds per furlong and to finish strongly to cheer him up.

'He wanted to go from the beginning, but that's because he is so well.

'He is getting better than I saw him 10 days before when he had just travelled over.'

Japan has two representatives in the Dubai Duty Free ? Admire Moon and Daiwa Major.

The latter, third to the great Deep Impact on his latest outing, worked in a very quick time and finished well clear of his companion and Godolphin Mile hopeful Fusaichi Richard.

Trainer Hiroyuki Uehara reported: 'I told the jockey to finish strongly from the last six furlongs.

'The movement was superb. His weight was 540kg (on Tuesday) ? it's almost the same as he was in the training centre in Japan.'

Admire Moon was only beaten a short head by Pride in the Hong Kong Cup and his handler Hiroyoshi Matsuda said: 'All things are going very well. I was thinking to train him as usual, so the track rider drove him just in the home stretch.

'He went to Hong Kong last year, and that experience has had a good influence on him. I don't know about other horses, but as far as Admire Moon is concerned, he is a very good horse.'

Admire Moon narrowly beat Melbourne Cup runner-up Pop Rock at Kyoto last time and worked well ahead of the race.

'The response was very good when I drove him in the last furlong,' said work-rider Norihiko Kishimoto.

'The gate number 10 is very good for him. I wanted outside even number.'

(C) PA Sport