Japan's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes contender Masquerade Ball is facing the 'biggest race of his life' in Saturday's £2 million Ascot showpiece.
Rematch with world champion
Masquerade Ball, pipped by last year's King George winner Calandagan in the Japan Cup, has come to Britain for a rematch with the world champion racehorse. He is one of two Japanese contenders, alongside the less heralded Wurttemberg, who will be ridden by Oisin Murphy. The pair arrived in the UK on July 12 after flying from Tokyo to Amsterdam via Anchorage in Alaska before completing the final leg by road to Newmarket.
Trainer's hopes
Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said: 'I have taken care of Masquerade Ball this year. He has matured and developed a lot from three to four, not just mentally but physically as well. He is a lot bigger and stronger. I was nervous about the journey over, but everything went smoothly. The horse seems very happy, while his training is going better than I expected.'
'The King George is one of the biggest races in the UK – it is a dream to bring him here. We have tried to give him the best preparation, so we hope for the best while also enjoying the experience because it is an honour to be involved.'
'This race is the biggest of Masquerade Ball's life so far. Calandagan is not the only horse we have to think about, even though there was only a head between us in the Japan Cup, because there are a lot of other strong competitors. We are looking forward to seeing how much our horse has developed since then.'
Jockey's praise
Masquerade Ball's jockey Christophe Lemaire said in April that the colt has the potential to be 'one of the greats' of Japanese racing. Tezuka added: 'I was very happy with those comments. Christophe has ridden many great horses, including Equinox, so it was an honour to hear that from such a great jockey.'
'The horse's owner Mr [Teruya] Yoshida loves Ascot Racecourse and, from last year, pushed me to challenge for this race. The King George rather than the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is our main reason for bringing Masquerade Ball to Europe.'
'In Japan, the racecourses are very flat with no undulations, so Ascot will be a very different challenge. The downhill section could be quite difficult, as it is hard to imitate running downhill [in his training], but I am hopeful that he will be able to overcome this.'
'I initially thought that a mile and a quarter was Masquerade Ball's best distance. However, as time has gone on, I think a mile and a half is more appropriate for him.'
Wurttemberg's chance
Wurttemberg arrives on the back of a career-best second in the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over two miles at Kyoto. His trainer Hiroshi Miyamoto said: 'The owner gave me the choice of two races, the King George or the Goodwood Cup. I chose the King George because it is a highly prestigious and honourable race. For me, it is the number one race in the UK.'
'Wurttemberg has good stamina, having raced up to distances of 3,600 metres, and I think Ascot's mile and a half with the undulations should be suitable for him.'
'Oisin Murphy is the number one jockey here, so we are excited for him to ride the horse. He knows Ascot very well and we will rely on him.'
