Raiders of the Arc: Japan's Elusive 50-Year Quest in Paris.

A former JRA representative notes, “Residents of Japan and open a racing paper, three key disciplines appear. Baseball is one, sumo wrestling is another, and the third is thoroughbred racing. We are always exposed to racing, and the horses are magnificent. The challenge and passion are palpable, with the Arc as the ultimate goal as Japan has pursued victory for half a century. I think that’s why Japanese people are so attached.”

A Tradition of Hope

A multitude of devotees making the 12,000-mile round trip along with many more tuning in back home, the moment has arrived as usual. Since Speed Symboli, the initial representative in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, placed 11th back in 1969, 32 more sought victory in vain. On Sunday, another trio – Byzantine Dream, Alohi Alii and Croix Du Nord – will make the attempt.

One standout case of determination despite repeated setbacks, there is little to match it globally. England fans could lament over decades of disappointment, but the national team boasts a major trophy. In recent decades, Japanese horse racing has developed into the leading and most lucrative internationally. Yet the result for the trillions of yen and countless journeys are numerous of increasingly agonising disappointments.

Close Calls

• El Condor Pasa finished half a length behind the winner after leading until the last moment.
• Deep Impact, attracting huge crowds, finished a close third that year later stripped of placement due to a prohibited substance.
• An unexpected challenger lost by a mere head the winning horse.
• Perhaps the most painful took command in the final stretch yet veered and was chased down in the closing strides.

Unfavorable track conditions and bad luck, during the event, have both played a part in the string of losses. Runners used to firm turf domestically falter on the deep ground that generally prevails this time of year. Kusano, though believes it’s also an evolving strategy. “As a horse owner and you win a Japanese Derby, the natural conclusion is: ‘We might be able to win an Arc,’ however, reality differs while it seems alike, the competition is distinct.

“Racing surfaces in Japan tend to be uniform and local thoroughbreds bred to be like a Formula One car, abroad, a sturdier type, since the ground appears pristine yet underfoot, it feels different. Hence the Japanese connections have adapted their approach to prepare runners able to handle variety with added stamina.

2024's Trio

Notably that the three Japanese challengers for this year’s Arc have all had a typically localized buildup: a summer hiatus followed by a prep race. This isn’t the most numerous group ever sent for this race – four runners in 2022 placed apart further back – yet they possess an unusual sense of strength in depth.

So perhaps this will finally be the year when the travelling fans receive their due for their indefatigable devotion to their equine heroes.

“In essence, betting is restricted nationally with just four authorized betting sports, including the turf,” he adds. “However, the JRA has succeeded to reshape perceptions from purely a betting sport as a multifaceted spectacle accessible to all, uniting enthusiasts with the sport uniquely compared to elsewhere.

“From a Japanese fan’s aspect, with elite runners lining up, supporters make the trip, to share in the challenge. Success abroad and the Middle East and most places where conditions align, the Arc remains that we have wanted to tick for a long time.”