Hands-on Sugiyama looking for Dubai breakthrough with cult hero Gaia Force and consistent Lugal

Hands-on Sugiyama looking for Dubai breakthrough with cult hero Gaia Force and consistent Lugal

A combination of the smaller travelling contingent from Japan than in most recent years and the giant shadow cast by Forever Young in the feature event may both have a part to play in trainer Haruki Sugiyama being able to keep a relatively low profile this Dubai World Cup week. 

But in the popular Gaia Force and consistent sprinter Lugal, he has two legitimate contenders for Group 1 honours in $5m Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World and Lugal in the $1.5m Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by AZIZI Developments respectively. 

When he races in Japan – and as was the case on his first foreign excursion in Hong Kong’s Champions Mile last April, Gaia Force draws huge fan engagement on account of his ghostly grey coat. 

A son of Kitasan Black – a horse who was named for his own striking looks – Gaia Force will have the undoubted assistance of Ryusei Sakai for the first time on Saturday, though the widest draw of all in gate 11 may not be that helpful for a horse who is often ridden prominently.

The seven-year-old has been the bridesmaid to several top-notchers, finishing close behind the likes of Songline, Romantic Warrior and Jantar Mantar at Grade 1 level over a mile. 

Lugal has enjoyed success at the highest level, having taken out the 2024 Sprinters Stakes, and has Katsuma Sameshima aboard for the third straight start. 

Sugiyama has been delighted with how the trip has unfolded to date and will have no excuses in terms of preparations for the pair, should things not play out as hoped.

“Both Gaia Force and Lugal have handled everything exceptionally well as they have travelled abroad before,” says Sugiyama. “They settled into the new environment quickly and have maintained both their weight and appetite throughout the journey. 

“This has allowed us to execute our training program exactly as planned. We are intentionally keeping their training intensity moderate; we want to ensure they are not overwhelmed.”

Gaia Force’s fan club will be hoping he can finally get that G1 victory on his record at the age of seven, an omission which Sugiyama feels keenly.

Sugiyama said: “I am well aware of Gaia Force’s immense popularity, both in Japan and internationally. Our ultimate goal is to reward that support by claiming a Group 1 title with him here in Dubai.”

Sugiyama has gone back to basics in terms of preparing the two horses, shouldering much of the day-to-day supervision himself.

“I travelled with the horses on March 18 and looked after Gaia Force and Lugal for the first two days,” said Sugiyama.

“After discussing the situation with the owners, I decided to travel personally. However, we have been fortunate to have Hiroki Koga here to assist with the morning track work. Hiroki is currently training at my stable to gain experience as he prepares to launch his own career as a trainer next year.”

Sugiyama has enjoyed plenty of Grade 1 success at home – he guided Daring Tact to the Triple Tiara in 2020 and has a leading Classic hopeful this year with Hopeful Stakes winner Lovcen – but would be gaining what would be the biggest international success of his career should either Gaia Force or Lugal come out on top. 

The opportunity to compete on the world stage is not lost on the 44-year-old, and he is determined to make the most of the twin opportunities.

“”I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Dubai Racing Club, the Emirates Racing Authority, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. 

“Their incredible support and hospitality are the reasons we are able to be here today. Both KR Japan [the owner of Gaia Force] and Mr. Yoshimasa Ema [the owner of Lugal] share these sentiments, expressing their own sincere gratitude.”

Gaia Force has been in and around good horses for his whole career, bumping into none other than Do Deuce on his very first outing as a two-year-old, and has even been tried on dirt by Sugiyama. 

As for Lugal, his first four starts were also on dirt, but it is on turf where he has compiled a solid body of work, and ran an excellent trial when half a length back in third in a Grade 3 at Nakayama last month.