Warp Speed, one of Japan’s two hopefuls for the upcoming Melbourne Cup, had a disappointing run in the Grade 1 Caulfield Cup on Saturday, October 19.
Despite being considered a strong contender, the 5-year-old son of Drefong finished 13th out of 18 horses in the 2,400-meter turf race at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne. A combination of factors, including a far outside draw and heavy ground conditions, seemed to work against him.
The top three spots in the 147th running of the Caulfield Cup were claimed by geldings. Duke de Sessa, an Irish-bred 6-year-old trained by Ciaron Maher, took the victory with a strong front-running performance. The race was won in 2:31.42, with Buckaroo finishing second and Land Legend taking third.
Warp Speed’s Disappointing Performance
Warp Speed had drawn the No. 19 gate, starting 16 wide with two other runners to his outside. Despite the initial optimism from his trainer Noboru Takagi, who had hoped the wide draw would help avoid traffic, Warp Speed never seemed comfortable during the race.
After racing three wide and trailing the field for most of the race, he only managed to pass five horses by the finish line. Jockey Akira Sugawara remarked that the horse struggled to focus and that the heavy, drying ground did not suit him.
Trainer Takagi agreed with the assessment, stating that while Warp Speed was in good condition, the soft ground (rated Soft 6) made running difficult for him. However, both Sugawara and Takagi remain optimistic about Warp Speed’s prospects in the Melbourne Cup, which will be run over a longer distance of 3,200 meters at Flemington Racecourse.
According to Sugawara, the Flemington track is more similar to surfaces in Japan, which should be more favorable for Warp Speed.
Looking Ahead to the Melbourne Cup
The Caulfield Cup was meant to serve as a prep race for Warp Speed ahead of the Melbourne Cup, which will be held on November 5 at Flemington Racecourse. With this underwhelming performance, his horse racing odds for the Melbourne Cup may take a hit, but his connections believe that the longer distance and more favorable track conditions will help him rebound.
The Melbourne Cup, often referred to as “the race that stops a nation,” is a premier event in Australia’s horse racing schedule and attracts international competitors, including many from Japan.
Historically, 12 Japan-based horses have run in the Caulfield Cup, with two of them—Admire Rakti in 2014 and Mer de Glace in 2019—claiming victories. Five Japanese horses, including Delta Blues, have used the Caulfield Cup as a steppingstone to the Melbourne Cup. Delta Blues finished third in the 2006 Caulfield Cup before winning the Melbourne Cup just a few weeks later.
Challenges and Potential for a Comeback
Although Warp Speed’s performance in the Caulfield Cup was far from ideal, the race was likely a valuable learning experience as his connections prepare him for the longer Melbourne Cup. Sugawara, who has already scoped out the Flemington track, believes that the surface will be more suitable for Warp Speed’s style of running.
With a little more preparation and focus, there is still hope that Warp Speed can deliver a stronger performance in one of the biggest races on the global horse racing schedule.
