'Proud' Yuga Kawada and Ushba Tesoro win second Dubai World Cup for Japan

Yuga Kawada and Ushba Tesoro were the heroes on a thrilling night of racing as they claimed the $12 million Dubai World Cup for Japan at Meydan.

It is only the second time Japan has won the race after Victoire Pisa became the first to take home the trophy in 2011.

For a while, it looked like James Doyle and Algiers were heading to victory but Ushba Tesoro powered from the middle of the pack to win by two and three quarter lengths with Emblem Road in third.

Algiers finished a creditable second, with two more Japanese runners T O Keynes and Crown Pride in fourth and fifth. Country Grammer and Frankie Dettori could finish only seventh.

“I’m very proud of my horse and myself for winning the greatest race in the world," the winning jockey Kawada said.

“It is an honour to be here. He won and I am so happy. I am so proud of him.

“This is a new surface for him but he was happy and doing well since his arrival in Dubai. You never know what to expect in a race of this level but he did the job for us tonight.”

A couple of races earlier, Lord North paid a fitting tribute to Dettori's last Dubai World Cup night before retirement by carrying him to victory in the $5million Group 1 Dubai Turf.

The horse and jockey were winning the race for the third successive year, sharing the prize last year with Panthalassa, winner of the $20million Saudi Cup last month.

Congratulations to connections of Ushba Tesoro - your 2023 #DubaiWorldCup champion#ウシュバテソーロ | #川田将雅 pic.twitter.com/UiTIiwVtpA

Dettori produced Lord North with a well-timed late run to collar William Buick and Nations Pride, and then held off the fast finishing Japanese raider Danon Beluga under Joao Moreira.

“The horse was real good. We had a very good draw this year in gate three.