Lani on trial for possible 2017 Caulfield Cup start
YOU could write a book about the career of four-year-old colt Lani and a new Australian chapter could be written if things pan out.
The globetrotting colt will run on turf in the Group 2 Meguro Kinen in Japan on May 28, with the winner getting an automatic entry in the 2017 Caulfield Cup – and given its history the connections will have no problem travelling the popular four-year-old.
Its journey started in Kentucky where the son of Tapit was born, but it soon to be shipped out to Japan where it currently races for trainer Mikio Matsunaga. It won two of its first four starts, including the Cattleya Sho at Tokyo which prompted its connections to seek some international success.
In a move rarely made by Japanese thoroughbreds, Lani was scheduled to run the American Triple Crown which kicks off with the Kentucky Derby, but the connections decided to stop off in Dubai to run in the Group 2 UAE Derby.
Lani showed off its immense talent by winning the Derby in impressive fashion and that thrust the then three-year-old onto the world stage, but the U.S. loomed and the return to its homeland of Kentucky was eagerly awaited.
LANI will run on Turf next in 5/28 G2 2500m Meguro Kinen. A “win and your in” race for G1 Caulfield Cup in Australia
Art by @derbydannyk pic.twitter.com/D1HX6kTRko— G (@LongBallToNoOne) May 10, 2017
Lani wasn’t one of the favoured runners to win the 2016 Kentucky Derby, but the experience of winning held it in good stead for the Bluegrass feature. Things didn’t quite go to plan, however, as Lani didn’t jump well from the barriers and after bumping into numerous runners was sent wide on the home turn.
It finished back in ninth, but Lani wasn’t having a hit-and-run mission and was set for the Preakness Stakes. The horse arrived just hours before the cutoff time at the Thursday track work where media gets their best chance to see the horses in the flesh. That all went well, but when it came to the Friday track work, Lani failed to load into the barriers.
Come race day, Lani was dubbed “the weirdest horse in racing” as it played up at the start again and almost took out some race day officials. As the gates open, it quickly turns left and runs into the eventual winner. After losing several lengths and being at least 12-15 lengths from the leader at the turn, Lani made a searching run in the sloppy conditions to run fifth.
@LongBallToNoOne @derbydannyk If Lani does win. I am instantly booking flights to Melb to watch the chaos.
— Rawrsi (@Rawrsim) May 10, 2017
Lani showed the resilience of the Japanese-trained horses, but still possessed a mind of its own. It would continue on to race in the Belmont Stakes where it again improved to run third, but connections will be hoping for a reversal of form back on home soil in a fortnight’s time.
Lani was given a four-month spell following its American sojurn and it resumed in the Brazil Cup at Tokyo where it finished a solid third placing, but that’s where the fun stopped.
It ran a disappointing ninth in the Group 1 Champions Cup before heading back to Meydan where it ran sixth in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge and eighth in the Dubai World Cup behind American Arrogate.
Could Lani win the Caulfield Cup?
Should it win the Meguro Kinen, punters have every reason to assume Lani will be heading to Australia where we’ll get an up close and personal look at the horse called “the craziest horse in racing” by media in America.
Bookmakers have failed to quote Lani in the Caulfield Cup markets, but if you request odds at CrownBet.com.au, we’re guessing you’ll get some juicy odds for the talented four-year-old which has form good enough to dominate our local stayers.
The Japanese-trained thoroughbreds have had great success during the Melbourne spring carnival in the past. They have saddled up the likes of Admire Rakti, Delta Blues and Pop Rock, which all performed at the highest grade in Australia despite not being rated as champions in Japan.
There has also been talk of numerous other Japanese horses ready to make the plunge during the Melbourne carnival. Japanese Horse of the Year, Kitasan Black, has been linked for a possible trip and also the likes of Cheval Grand, Admire Deus and Albert have been linked.
“All three of those horses, Cheval Grand, Admire Deus and Albert are horses of interest. I’ve spoken to the owners and trainers overnight and they seem very interested,” Australian recruiting scout Leigh Jordan said.
“It’s early days yet, we’re only just into May but yesterday’s Tenno Sho may well be an excellent pointer to the major races across the world considering the time they ran. But all three have no problem running the 3200m.”
Recent Hong Kong winner Neorealism would be a star attraction in Melbourne and Jordan has been in talks with its connections.
“The horse will arrive home later in the week but I’ve already spoken to the connections of the horse and they seem keen to talk about the prospects of the horse being in Melbourne in the spring,” Jordan said.