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Delta Blues (inside) and Pop Rock
History was made at Flemington this afternoon when two horses trained by Japanese horseman Katsuhiko Sumii ran the quinella in the $5.1 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m). The Japanese stablemates cleared out from their rivals over the concluding stages and it was Yasunari Iwata and Delta Blues who were able to hold out a determined challenged from local star Damien Oliver riding one of two equal favourites Pop Rock. A mere half head separated the pair at the post in an all Japanese finish. Saturday's Saab winner Maybe Better was the best of the locals in third place - a distant four and a half lengths away. Former Japanese resident and now Sydney based freelance journalist Mariko Hyland said the result of today's race would make headlines in Japan. "It is such a great result for Japan," Hyland said. "The first two finish will have a great impact and this race will now be famous in Japan." "I've been covering Australian races and the Melbourne Cup now for 20 years and there'd been little interest in the race until this year with the two runners," she added. Hyland said last year only two media represented Japan at the Melbourne Cup - her and another. This year the number swelled past 20. The Japanese contingent on course couldn't believe that Pop Rock was so much shorter than Delta Blues considering their homeland reputations. "If the race was run in Japan, Delta Blues would have been favourite ahead of Pop Rock," Hyland pointed out. "Especially at the distance - 3000 metres plus - its Delta Blues who is better." The locals who took notice of the Japanese advice would have roped in the dollars. While Pop Rock jumped with the bookies as a $6 equal favourite, Delta Blues got away at the luxurious quote of $18. 
Delta Blues wins the Melbourne Cup
For winning rider Yasunari Iwata the win was a dream. The 32-year-old couldn't believe his luck at his first trip outside of Japan he'd won Australia's most famous and one of the world's richest races. "I was very honoured just to be in the race," Iwata said. "To win it is just the icing on the cake." Iwata said the Japanese racing circuit was forever improving and regarded as one of the most competitive in the world. "I think Japanese racing is improving all the time in quality and I think this will mean perhaps mean more Japanese will enter the Melbourne Cup in future," he added. PICS - Quentin Lang.
© 2010 Published 07/11/06
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