Powerscourt seeks Japan Cup glory
Having landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May, the four-year-old will again have Jamie Spencer aboard after they were last seen finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in Texas last month.
“The horse has been very well since he’s come here. He’s travelled over well and we’re very happy,” said O’Brien’s assistant trainer Patrick Keating.
“He’s a very straightforward horse and very easy to ride. He can be up there, he can come from behind and he likes the ground so we’re hoping for a good run.”
Kieren Fallon is “pretty hopeful” he can emerge victorious from his ride aboard Warrsan.
Warrsan hasn’t been seen on the track since finishing an honourable ninth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and Ladbrokes make him an 11-2 shot for this weekend’s race, with Aidan O’Brien’s Powerscourt the 4-1 joint-favourite.
“I see the horse is in good form and he’s very straightforward to ride,” said Fallon.
“He’s a horse that goes on any ground, so we’re pretty hopeful. It’s a great race and it would be great if we could win.
Trainer Clive Brittain revealed the Japan Cup has long been on the agenda for his stable star, who is no stranger to travelling, having raced in Germany, France and Hong Kong .
“We’ve prepared this horse for the Japan Cup. It was the objective from the beginning of this season that we would end up here, and then go on to Hong Kong,” said Brittain.
“We’ve programmed the horse very lightly this year, we’ve spaced his races.”
Warrsan will be joined for the race by the Andrew Balding-trained Phoenix Reach, the winner of last year’s Canadian International, who will be ridden by Martin Dwyer.
“The horse seems to have thrived since he arrived so we’re very pleased with that,” reported Balding.
Ladbrokes bet: 4-1 Powerscourt, Zenno Rob Roy, 11-2 Warrsan, 10-1 Cosmo Bulk, Delta Blues, Lune D’ Or, 12-1 Hearts Cry, Policy Maker, 14-1 Hookipa Wave, 16-1 Narita Century, 20-1 Higher Game, Hishi Miracle, 25-1 Er Nova, Phoenix Reach, 40-1 Magnaten, 40-1 Tosen Dandy.
