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Cheltenham Festival

Japan set to have first Cheltenham Festival runner since 1960s - just who is All The World?

A first Japanese-trained runner could feature at the Cheltenham Festival this century after All The World was a surprise name in the Unibet Champion Hurdle entries revealed on Tuesday.

Third when last seen in the Grade 2 Tokyo High-Jump back in October, he has been described as one of Japan's elite jumpers by the Japanese Racing Authority's (JRA) London office.

If All The World were to run it would come more than 50 years after Fujino O broke new ground when brought over from Japan to be trained by Fulke Walwyn. He was unplaced in the Plate.



The JRA's London office said it was thrilled he was among the entries and it would continue a growing trend of representation for the country in the world's biggest meetings.

Japan has celebrated notable successes including at the Breeders' Cup, Cox Plate and in Britain with Deirdre winning the Nassau Stakes. Jumps is less prominent than the Flat in Japan although interest surged in recent years when Oju Chosan became the country's greatest ever jumps horse with a record-breaking fifth win in the Nakayama Grand Jump. 

He accumulated close to JPY941,000,000 (£4.8 million), making him the world's highest-earning jumps horse.

All The World is a six-time winner from 40 starts in Japan. He started on the Flat but was a natural when changing codes, completing a hat-trick in an open chase at Hanshin in March. The entire runs in the silks of Shinji Maeda, made famous by Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail. 

All The World would be Maeda's first runner in Britain or Ireland. He is as big as 100-1 with a number of firms, although some bookmakers go as short as 50-1.


Other notable Japanese firsts

Could a first Japanese runner at Cheltenham for almost 60 years be a precursor to more raids with their jumps stars? Japanese aces on the Flat have become a regular sight across the world in some of the most prestigious prizes, kicked off by these trailblazers . . .

First Arc runner - Speed Symboli 1969
First King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes runner - Speed Symboli 1969
First Kentucky Derby runner - Ski Captain 1994
First Breeders' Cup Classic runner - Taiki Blizzard 1996
First Dubai World Cup runner - Lively Mount 1996
First Melbourne Cup runner - Eye Popper 2005


Unibet Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 11)

Unibet: 4-6 Constitution Hill, 4 Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead, 10 State Man, 11 Anzadam, 20 Sir Gino, 25 Burdett Road, 40 Brentford Hope, 50 King Of Kingsfield, Kitzbuhel, 66 Kargese, Winter Fog, 80 Golden Ace, 100 All The World, Nemean Lion, Senecia


Festival Fields:

Surprise Japanese runner joins Constitution Hill in Champion Hurdle as more star-studded Cheltenham Festival entries revealed 

How the Mares' Hurdle picture could look very different on the day - plus other key talking points 

'We've never looked under the bonnet so we still don't know how good he could be' - Patrick Mullins on the Champion Hurdle dark horse 

Constitution Hill's shadow looms over Champion Hurdle with as many British entries made as Willie Mullins 

How the Stayers' Hurdle field reveals much about Willie Mullins' novice chase plans


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West Country correspondent

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