There’s something about Deep Bond that makes you take him seriously as an Arc contender, even though at first glance his form back home in Japan means he really shouldn’t be on anyone’s mind for the great race at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
He has been acclimatising in France - at the yard of trainer Hiro Shimuzo off the Chemin des Aigles road in Gouvieux, near Chantilly - since August 20, and everything has gone at least as well as you could have hoped.
Take his prep run in the G2 Prix Foy on Arc trials day at ParisLongchamp on September 12. It was his first run for 133 days, and he wasn’t properly fit, according to assistant trainer Kazuhito Sumii, who has travelled over from Japan to take charge of the horse’s preparation. Yet he produced a taking performance, leading all the way and kicking clear to beat G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Broome by 1½ lengths. (Broome reopposes on Sunday as one of three runners from Ballydoyle.)
Deep Bond is now world #32 in the latest TRC standings, and a general 20/1 chance with British bookmakers for the Arc. There have been many more surprising winners in the race’s 100-year history.
Having been just behind the very best at 3 last year - he was fifth to Triple Crown winner Contrail in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and fourth to him in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) - the son of Kizuna seems to have progressed notably as a 4-year-old.
In his last three runs, he has achieved his three highest TRC Computer Race Ratings. The Foy victory followed a fine second in the hugely important Tenno Sho (Spring) and a win in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten, which was his most visually impressive performance - and, maybe significantly considering the likely going on Sunday, his 5-length win in that was on ground described as yielding.
Certainly when I visited Shimuzo’s yard last week, the horse looked the part as he stood quietly being washed.
“Yes it was quite a surprise in the Prix Foy,” said Sumii, assistant to trainer Rjuji Okuba. “As it was a prep race, Deep Bond was not properly fit. He had an easy race and came out of it well. There is more to come.
“Races in France start off at a slow pace, which is why [jockey] Cristian Demuro set off in front to make it a true run race and use the horse’s stamina.”
Demuro, who is well known in Japan, where his brother Mirco is one of the top riders, came in for the ride because Covid restrictions in Japan would have meant regular jockey Ryuji Wada having to spend 14 days in quarantine on return. “That is also why there will not be the usual large numbers of Japanese journalists and photographers in Paris this time,” said Sumii.
He added, “We considered Cristian Demuro the best jockey in France and, as he didn’t appear to have a horse to ride in the Arc, we snapped him up for Deep Bond.
“The horse does walk exercises and canters each morning at the nearby gallops, with Cristian turning up once a week for fast work. We think the horse has improved since the Prix Foy.”
But the Italian is not yet certain to take the ride on Sunday. “I am contracted to ride Jean-Claude Rouget’s runners, and Raabihah is still a possible runner. A decision will be made at the last minute,” said Demuro, who triumphed in the Arc on Sottsass for Rouget last year.
‘He could have won by more’
“I have been riding out Deep Bond each Wednesday and the horse is very strong and has been improving. In the Foy, he was very impressive and could have won by more. It looks like there will be more pace in the Arc, which will suit the horse’s stamina - as will soft ground.”
Sumii said, “Deep Bond will do his last piece of fast work today [Wednesday]. In some ways, he seems to think he is on a holiday. Realistically, we would be happy if the horse has his preferred soft ground and finishes in the first six.”
By contrast, the other Japanese runner, Chrono Genesis, a 4-time G1 winner who is current world #11, is a strong filly, who will be hard to beat on any ground. The 5-year-old mare was beaten a neck by Mishriff in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March after being hampered near the finish.
The daughter of 2004 Arc winner Bago has run just twice this year. Last time - at the end of June - she took the 11-furlong G1 Takarazuka Kinen. Her preparation is nothing like that of Deep Bond. with Chrono Genesis, it is little more than a flying visit - she arrived in France only last Friday.
Trainer Pascal Bary arranged for her to be stabled at Josephine Soudan’s picturesque yard on the Chemin du Mont de Po at Lamorlaye, with the training gallops just across the road. Ideal peaceful conditions to train a horse.
There were reports that she looked a bit heavy for her most recent gallop in Japan, but if trainer Takashi Saiko, who has travelled with the horse, has her back to top form, she has an outstanding chance.
Of course, the Japanese have gone close to Arc success before, with four heartbreaking runner-up finishes - El Condor Pasa going down by just half a length to Montjeu in 1999, Nakayama Festa losing by a head to Workforce in 2010 and the Triple Crown hero Orfevre being caught in the final strides by 33/1 shot Solemia in 2012 and finishing second again a year later, to Treve.
On each of those occasions, the going was heavy or very soft, conditions Japanese runners are just not familiar with. The ground is unlikely to be worse than good to soft on Sunday, and that could be just right for Deep Bond.