Jockey Secures 4th Career Victory at Japan Cup, Etching Name in Racing History

Rarely do premonitions turn into reality as they did during the Japan Cup spree in Tokyo. The horse racing fans were certain of the winner even before the bullet left the gun. Their positive estimation of Equinox as the world’s best racehorse was validated by the results of the Group One race of the Japan Cup. 

Equinox had little to no trouble taking the lead in a field of 18 runners. His rider was a triple Japan Cup winner, Christophe Lemaire. Together, they brought the deadly combination of will and speed to blow the competition out of the field. 

Christophe Lemaire’s quadruple horse racing victories at Japan Cup

The extraordinary jockey sealed his fourth victory with a unique gesture. As he circled the spectator’s box on top of Equinox, instead of taking a bow, he made the celebratory gesture of cocking open a champagne bottle. This quickly became a GIF and was uploaded to World Horse Racing’s Twitter page with the words, “LEGEND! 💪A fourth #JapanCup for @christo68914587! Vodka  2009 Almond Eye 2018 Almond Eye 2020 Equinox 2023”. Lemaire’s greatest success came with Silk Racing’s Almond Eye. Therefore, when it came to choosing the perfect partner for the 2023 Tokyo campaign, the French jockey went with Silk Racing. 

Equinox is the star of the stable at Silk Racing. With just ten runs under him, the marvellous horse had secured eight career wins. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that many leading horse racing websites in the world, such as Punters and Racing Post, have called him the world’s best racing cup. Despite that, the red-hot Japan Cup did not come to their grips without some major drama. 

Dramatic horse racing triumph

During the Group One race, there were two contenders for the shiny trophy. One was, of course, Equinox, and the second was Panthalassa. The latter had been a leader of the Tokyo Racecourse and had defeated Equinox before. His defiance resulted in a fiery battle, and at one point, it looked like history was about to repeat itself. However, the equine superstar soon gathered momentum and zapped past his rival for the Japan Cup title.

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Christophe Lemaire had plenty of experience with the 4-year-old speedster. Therefore, he did not feel worried when Panthalassa began its challenge. His belief in his partner bore fruits, and Equinox widened the gap between them and his rivals. He ran the final four lengths unchallenged and secured the title for the jockey. The stud has proven lucrative to its owners, bringing in $14 million in career earnings, which is only going to go higher in the next horse racing season. 

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