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A former JRA representative notes, “Anyone in Japan and read a sports section, three key disciplines appear. First is baseball, sumo wrestling is another, and the other one is the sport of kings. Racing is ever-present, and the horses are magnificent. It’s full of excitement and allure, with the Arc as the ultimate goal as Japan has pursued victory for more than 50 years. That explains Japanese people are so attached.”

Annual Pilgrimage

For thousands of Japanese racing fans journeying to Paris plus additional viewers watching from Japan, it is that time annually. Ever since the first entrant, Japan’s pioneer contender in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, finished 11th back in 1969, 32 more attempted without success. This year, another trio – this year’s candidates – will take their shot.

A prime instance of determination amid painful and often bitter experience, there is little to match it across sports. England fans might complain over decades of disappointment, but the national team boasts a major trophy. In recent decades, the nation’s turf sport has expanded as the wealthiest and top-performing internationally. But the return for the trillions of yen and millions of air miles is a series of increasingly agonising disappointments.

Bitter Defeats

• El Condor Pasa finished half a length behind the winner after leading to the final strides.
• Deep Impact, attracting huge crowds, nearly triumphed that year though subsequently disqualified for banned medication.
• The 2010 entry was narrowly beaten by the victor.
• The 2012 favorite charged into a clear lead a furlong out yet veered and was overtaken in the closing strides.

Heavy going along with ill fortune, regarding post positions and racing incidents, have been factors in Japan’s 0-for-33 record. Entrants familiar with quick surfaces in Japan come unstuck in softer conditions typically found during the Arc. Kusano, though suggests it was an evolving strategy. “As a horse owner and you win a Japanese Derby, often the thought is: ‘We can conquer Europe,’ yet that isn’t true since it appears comparable, the challenges are unique.

“Racing surfaces in Japan tend to be uniform with domestic runners are trained to become precision machines, abroad, more versatile athletes, because the surface looks green and smooth but when you walk on it, it feels different. This is why trainers and owners have researched extensively to prepare runners which both run on smooth ground with added stamina.

This Year's Hopefuls

It is certainly striking this year’s trio in the upcoming race experienced a typically French preparation: a summer hiatus then a tune-up event. It is not the biggest team that Japan has fielded in an Arc – several in the past placed apart among the also-rans – but it has impressive quality.

So perhaps this will finally be the year when the travelling fans receive their due for unwavering support behind their stars.

“In essence, betting is restricted nationally only a handful of authorized betting sports, among them the turf,” notes the expert. “But the Japan Racing Association has succeeded to reshape perceptions away from mere gambling into a broader entertainment accessible to all, connecting fans with the sport in a different way internationally.

“From a Japanese fan’s aspect, as top competitors entering, supporters make the trip, to feel part of the drama. Success abroad and other regions in numerous locations with similar surfaces, and this is the box that we have wanted to tick for a long time.”