Dubai: Japanese trainer Takashi Kodama is not worried about his failure to win a race at the Dubai World Cup Carnival, saying he has gained a lot more in terms of experience which he hopes to exploit in the future.
Based in the Curragh in Ireland, Kodama has campaigned three of the four horses he has brought to Dubai with Elusive Time delivering the best result - a fifth place effort behind Hunter’s Light in the $200,000 (Dh734,482) Dubai Millennium Stakes last weekend.
“We always knew that the odds would not be in our favour as our horses have struggled a bit with the change of environment and conditions which they are used to in Ireland,” said Kodama. “But we’re really happy to be here, competing against some of the best horses from around the world, at this beautiful racecourse.
“I’ve been here before, but this is the first time I’ve brought some horses with me. It’s a learning experience and hopefully we can take something positive out of it which we can put to use in the future.”
While success has eluded Kodama, fellow Irish handlers Mick Halford and David Marnane have found Dubai to be a happy hunting ground with the former having enjoyed a profitable campaign last year where he saddled six winners highlighted by the victory of Certerach in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup night.
Marnane, who spent eight years in Dubai as assistant to two former UAE champion trainer Kieran McLaughlin and Doug Watson, sent out three winners last year.
“The Dubai World Cup Carnival has become more and more competitive each year, but you’ve got to be in a race before you try to win it,” said Kodama. “You also need the right horse, and sometimes it’s not straightforward selecting a horse to bring to Dubai, particularly with the new dirt track, which is not likely to suit most European horses.”
However, Kodama is quite happy to play a reserve role at the Carnival with his small string led by Scandinavian-bred Elusive Time and his South American imports and former Group1 winners in Argentina, Sociologa Inc and Emirates Girl.
“They haven’t run all that badly, considering they only got here a month ago,” said Kodama. “Perhaps, next time we will come earlier to give the horses a better chance of acclimatizing. It’s very cold in Ireland and it’s a lot hotter out here, so it takes some getting used to by the horses.
“They seem to be liking it here, as the facilities are outstanding, the barns, the training track, but to be fair to them it’s a lot to expect from a horse in such a short time. That’s something we have learned and will see how we can deal with in the future.”
So is Kodama, already looking at next year’s Carnival?
“It might seem a long time away, but you need to look to the future in this sport,” he said. “That’s something I have learned and it does not hurt to plan ahead.
“We’re pretty certain to return next year and who knows we might even get lucky.
“But we’re more than happy to be here, this is where everybody in the sport is currently focused on,” said Kodama, who admits to being a small trainer with a big dream.
What is the dream?
“In Dubai, to have a runner on Dubai World Cup night, it’s the meeting in which every trainer wants to have a runner, if not contender,” he says. “I was lucky to train a horse called Pop Rock, who was only beaten by a short head in the 2006 Melbourne Cup for his former trainer, a couple of years ago. He won at the Galway Festival and it was a great moment for me.
“Hopefully there will be more special moments, and perhaps here in Dubai, as well.”
