The Land of the Rising Sun enjoyed a second coming in the Singapore Gold Cup when Japanese-bred true blue stayer El Dorado successfully defended his title for his Japanese connections, trainer Hideyuki Takaoka and owner Masa Otani of Big Valley Stable on Sunday.

Winning jockey Ronnie Stewart was the only non-Japanese team member but after yet another flawless ride aboard the Stay Gold five-year-old, not to mention his Four-Year-Old Triple Crown-winning feat aboard Japanese-bred mare Jolie’s Shinju when she was prepared by Takaoka, a citizenship offer could well be on his way.

While El Dorado ($56) scraped home by a head from Chevron last year, his 1 ½ length victory in this year’s renewal of the $1.35 million Group 1 event over 2200m was a lot more dominant, which came as a surprise as El Dorado’s form had been anything but close to his best since lifting the Gold Cup last year.

However, both Takaoka and Stewart had a hunch El Dorado might have turned the corner in the last couple of weeks or so.

Ronnie Stewart shows his enthusiasm at scoring his second Singapore Gold Cup aboard El Dorado.

“It was when I came back from Melbourne that I noticed a big change in him,” said Stewart.

“I had been riding him in his work and races and he had been quite sluggish.

“Then one of Takaoka’s boys got on him and started messing around. He changed his attitude and it showed in his trackwork and his last run.

“His last gallop on Wednesday was as good as it has been for a long time. He worked with Jade and I just felt the way he was going that he could have put two lengths on him at any time.

“But I held him together and just kept him thinking. It’s been a great effort by the whole Takaoka team to get this horse back in the winner’s stall.

“I suppose it was hard to get over confident about him on his form, but on his work I knew he was just about ready to run a much better race.”

An emotional Takaoka described the second Gold Cup victory as much more satisfying than last year’s.

“It was very good to win the race last year,” said Takaoka. “But to get the horse back into the form he had in winning last year, makes this very satisfying.

“The lightweight of 50kg was a big help to him today. It all worked right for him with the lightweight.”

While never confident that El Dorado was back to the 2008 form in winning the Gold Cup, Takaoka believed the gelding was getting back to his best with an encouraging performance (eighth) behind Big Maverick in the Group 1 Raffles Cup over 1800m.

“I think his last run showed us that he was just about ready to run a better race,” said Takaoka. “And we knew that the extra distance was what he was looking for.”

For Stewart the last 12 months have been remarkable. After winning last year’s Gold Cup, the jockey headed back to Australia before returning to Singapore in April.

Stewart was slow to hit his strides until he teamed with Jolie’s Shinju, capturing the Four-Year-Old Triple Crown of the Patrons' Bowl, the Singapore Derby Trial and the Singapore Derby.

“I really have to thank Mr Takaoka,” said Stewart. “His support over the last 12 months has just been fantastic.

“He’s been my mainstay and I can’t thank him enough.”

Stewart said he had a perfect run through the race and tracked Given Vision throughout the race but admitted to concerns turning for home.

“I was worried when Given Vision hit the lead that he may have been hard to run down,” said Stewart.

“But he dug deep and chased him down. No doubt he appreciated the lightweight, but he is an out-and-out stayer.”

The pace was set by frontrunner Ricoco (TR Barnabas) in tandem with Stealth (V Sivan) with El Dorado settled in midfield, running three off the track but with plenty of cover. Any Humour (Danny Beasley) was the handiest among the main contenders, travelling in third while Given Vision (Vlad Duric) and Big Maverick (Saimee Jumaat) and renowned South African stayer Desert Links (Barend Vorster) was among the tailenders.

The pace slackened down the backstraight with the effect there was only about eight lengths top to bottom, which gives a clear indication how bunched-up the 16-horse field was.

The hustle and bustle got cracking from the 800m when Given Vision took closer order to be within striking distance from the leading pair, while El Dorado looked to have lost about two lengths.

But it was only a momentary backwash as El Dorado came charging again under Stewart’s impulsion to go stride for stride with Given Vision at the top of the straight.

As the leaders folded, both El Dorado and Given Vision pulled away from the rest, with Desert Links the only other challenger who could spoil the party, while Big Maverick seemed to be labouring under his top impost of 58kg on the fence.

The last 100m almost turned like deja-vu at Kranji as El Dorado fought his big heart out to outstay his rivals for the first back-to-back double in the 80-year-old race since Grenadier in 1965 and 1966.

Given Vision was gallant in defeat settling for second spot, a neck ahead of Desert Links, with Marco Kid (Mark Gallagher) flashing home late for fourth, another neck away.

In another testament to Takaoka’s peerless polish on stayers, El Dorado shaved off 0.3 second from the previously joint-record of 2min 15.1 between Kutub and Carry The Flag.

With that seventh win from 30 starts, El Dorado has now edged closer to the $2 million mark, which would put him in sixth position among the highest stakes earners of all time in Singapore.

Saimee said Big Maverick was brave in defeat under the steadier of his 58kg.

“I was where I wanted to be in the run,” said Saimee. “We didn’t go around a horse and he did make ground on them late, but he was anchored by his weight when it mattered.”

Duric, who had put in the hard yards to waste down to 51.5kg to ride Given Vision, was understandably disappointed the sacrifice had not paid off, but was pleased as anything with the Stephen Gray-trained galloper’s second placing.

“He had every chance. I had him where I wanted in the race, and he was coming in nicely from the backstraight,” said Duric.

“He was going really well at the 400m mark but unfortunately he was beaten by a better stayer. He’s proven he can stay as well.”

The Desert Links camp was also bearing smiles of satisfaction after their protégé’s valiant third but rued the fact there were not any two-mile races at Kranji!

“What a gutsy race. They slowed the tempo in the backstraight, which didn’t suit him at all,” said Vorster.

“But he still made stacks of ground on the winner at the 300m. He was the only one who was making ground on him.

“If they had kept rolling in the backstraight, I think the result could have been different. He’s obviously looking for more ground as well, probably two mile!

“But no, all in all, a super effort.”