Owner pledges to breed Arc winner for ageless Yutaka Take as Do Deuce is retired due to injury

Owner Matsushima Masaaki says he aims to breed a winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe from Do Deuce, Japan's highest-rated racehorse and hot favourite for the year-ending Arima Kinen before his retirement due to injury on Friday. 

As with so much else that motivates his racing endeavours, Masaaki said he hopes the progeny of Do Deuce can provide his great friend Yutaka Take with an elusive first win in the Arc, despite the fact that the great jockey will have turned 60 by the time Do Deuce's first crop of three-year-olds could potentially head to Longchamp. 

"I believe Do Deuce will do his best on a new stage starting next year," said Masaaki. "I'll work hard to continue my dream of one day raising the Japanese flag at Longchamp, with the progeny of Do Deuce and jockey Yutaka Take on the horse's back. I ask all the fans to continue to support us."  

Do Deuce had been due to bid for a second Arima Kinen but was ruled out after showing signs of a potential off-foreleg injury, leading to his immediate retirement to Shadai Stallion Station. In his absence, Regaleira took the Nakayama Grade 1 on Sunday. 

Do Deuce first showed his class when winning one of only three Grade 1s in Japan for juveniles, the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, before going on to beat the mighty Equinox in the 2022 edition of Japan's Derby, the Tokyo Yushun, under the then-53-year-old Take. 

Do Deuce and Yutaka Take (red cap) fly home to win the Japan CupCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi has overseen one of the great comeback careers in recent memory after Do Deuce's bid for Arc glory in the autumn of his three-year-old career was washed away in a Paris monsoon, and then his challenge for the 2023 Dubai Turf was derailed by lameness 24 hours before the race. 

The son of Heart's Cry returned to the Grade 1 winner's circle in last season's Arima Kinen, and in 2024 has added the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and a thrilling last-gasp victory in the Japan Cup. 

Masaaki has provided key backing for Take in recent years and has given him his last three rides in the Arc, courtesy of Broome, Do Deuce and Al Riffa. 

On Do Deuce's retirement, the owner said: "We received a lot of support and enjoyed his racing career. It's truly unfortunate [this has happened] and we'd like to apologise to all the fans.

"I believe Do Deuce did a really good job. For this, I owe everything to Katsumi Yoshida and everyone at Northern Farm, to the master trainer Tomomichi and everyone at his stable, and to my ally and jockey, Yutaka Take. To this wonderful team, I'm truly grateful. Thank you so much.

"Above all, thank you to all the fans for your support over the years. I believe that team Do Deuce has been able to do its best thanks to your warm support, whether we won or lost."

Do Deuce and Yutaka Take winning the 2023 Arima Kinen at NakayamaCredit: Masakazu Takahashi

Do Deuce retires as the winner of five Grade 1s and more than £10.5 million in prize-money, but has been denied the opportunity to join TM Opera O as the only horse to win all three of Japan's autumn all-aged middle-distance top-level races in the same year. 

A planned retirement ceremony following racing at Nakayama on Sunday was shelved, with Tomomichi citing a possible racecourse appearance at Sapporo in the summer as a chance for fans to show their appreciation for Do Deuce. 

Read more:

'There was no way he was going to lose' - local heroes Yutaka Take and Do Deuce strike in Japan Cup with Auguste Rodin eighth 

Legendary jockey Yutaka Take guides Do Deuce to breathtaking last-to-first victory in Tenno Sho 

Do Deuce scores in Arima Kinen as £302 million traded on world's biggest betting race 

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