Questions asked on behalf of the Press: Mr. Masami Kobayashi (Radio Nikkei)

SCINTILLO (pictured) (GBR, c4, chestnut)
Owner: John Fellows (on behalf of Leonard Lucas)
Trainer: Richard Hannon Jr. (on behalf of Richard Hannon)

Q: What is the major reason for your participation in the Japan Cup? Since when have you included JC in your rotation?
O: It's a great pleasure to be back here. I haven't been for many years. It's a very opportune race for Scintillo. He was planned to go to Australia but it didn't work out that way. We are all delighted to be in Japan and to have a chance at the Japan Cup.
Q: How would you rate his current condition out of 100%?
T: He's in very good form. He didn't win in his three-year-old career, but you can forgive him that because he was carrying a penalty all year for the group 1 that he won. But he moved very well this morning and we are very pleased with him. We will give him a final workout tomorrow with Gerald Mosse. He is in great form and eating and drinking very well. Out of 100, I would suppose he would be in high nineties, I hope, but you wouldn't really know until Sunday about four o'clock.
Q: What is your impression of the race track at Tokyo? Are there any contenders that you regard as rivals?
T: The track is in superb condition. We are very pleased with it. It looks a fair track, very level. Our horse, as you saw, handles a left-hand turn no problem. Obviously, we're frightened of all the horses but we try not to look into them too much. We worry about our own horse, and he is in very good form. We are trying to beat as many as we can. There's an awful lot of prize money in there, and the place prize money-we'll be trying very hard for that, too.
Q: What is the strongest point of this horse? What are your expectations for the race?
T: I suppose it would be the fact that he would love the ground. The track is very similar to our tracks at home. He seems to run his best races when he's not favorite-when he is in that fifth, sixth, seventh seems to be the times he runs best races. He has ability to run very well but there's often quite a gap between his best run and his worst run-and he has the ability to throw in the odd very bad run. But you know, he is in a very good form and he's had a nice rest since his last run so we're very hopeful.
Q: You didn't make it to Australia this year. Are you hoping to get there next year?
O: The reason he was bought, originally, was for the Melbourne Cup, but quarantine regulations were notified this year literally just after we brought him. It's simply meant that if we took him to Australia, he would've got out of quarantine four or five days before the Melbourne Cup, which made it virtually impossible. So there was no other way around it. But he will eventually get to Australia, hopefully for the 150th Melbourne Cup next year.

Today's training (on the turf course):
-lightly cantered appr.1,600m, gradually cantered stronger appr.3,000m
(Exercised from 7:10 to 7:25, ridden by Anna Kowalczyk)

"He did a strong canter today, and his condition is very good. He's eating and drinking well. We will breeze him with the jockey riding him tomorrow. Considering where we want him during the race, we hope he can break from a stall on the inside somewhere between the most inner stall and the middle."
(Comments taken from Stephen Knight)

MARSH SIDE (USA, h6, dark bay or brown)
Owner: Patrick Lawley-Wakelin (on behalf of Robert Evans)
Trainer: Neil Drysdale
Jockey: Javier Castellano

Q: What is the major reason for your participation in the Japan Cup? Since when have you included JC in your rotation?
O: As you know we came here last year, hoping to run and win, and sadly we were unable to do so. So it was always on our minds, certainly on our trainer's mind that we should come back if we were given the opportunity to run in the Japan Cup. It was always on the card as long as the horse performed to that, and we certainly believe that he justly deserves to be here.
Q: How would you rate his current condition out of 100%?
T: My feeling is that he's at 100 percent. His last race, he was probably a little bit under par, but I'm very pleased with his preparation for this race.
Q: What is your impression of the race track at Tokyo? Are there any contenders that you regard as rivals?
J: I'm very pleased to be here. I was here last year but unfortunately we never had a chance to ride the horse. We, the whole team, are prepared and looking forward to the race. We're also very impressed with the beautiful track at Tokyo. The turf is in great condition and hopefully we have a good result this year. I respect the rest of the field- I think we all have desire to participate in the race. It's going to be a tough race but we are looking forward to it. I think the best contender is my horse and hopefully we'll have success.
Q: What is the strongest point of this horse? What are your expectations for the race?
T: Marsh Side's strength is that he is a true mile and a half horse-he's a galloping horse and that's why we brought him to Tokyo. We feel the course suits him-and the course in Canada also suits him. Our tracks in California are a little bit tight for him as he's a large horse with a big long stride.
Q: In the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, I understand that you angled in and were demoted to fourth place. In the Japan Cup, we will have a field of 18. Does that concern you?
J: Not really. In the United States, we had a big race like the Kentucky Derby, which I had run for three times. It had 20 horses, a big field, but I think I got used to it a little bit. I also rode in a big race in Dubai on the turf course and it was a big field, too. So I'm not really concerned about that.
Q: Since you don't think the horse likes American tracks, what do you have planned for him after the Japan Cup?
T: We'll see how he runs in this race. There's a possibility obviously of going back to Dubai or even coming back here. As you know there's not a very strong program anymore in the winter time in the United States.

Today's training (on the turf course):
-jogged appr.1,000m, cantered appr.1,000m, galloped on stretch
(Exercised from 8:17 to 8:33, ridden by Marcelino Olguin)

"He's in good form and the fractions of his gallop were good too. He's been prepared well. Breaking from a stall in the middle would suit him."
(Comments taken from Neil Drysdale)

CONDUIT (IRE, c4, chestnut)
Assistant Trainer: Anthony Cromby
Groom: Neil Varley

Q: What is the major reason for your participation in the Japan Cup? Since when have you included JC in your rotation?
A: The trainer Mr. Stoute, after the Breeders' Cup, he wanted to take him back to England to see how he was and how he was physically, mentally and if the horse was well in himself. I thought he's always had in his mind the Japan Cup and Mr. Okada bought him as a stallion for the Big Red Farm. It was nice for the new owner to have him run in this race and so we made this decision when we came back from America to come over and let him take his chance.
Q: How would you rate his current condition out of 100%?
G: At the moment, I reckon his condition to be very well. I couldn't fault him this morning going on the track. He traveled nicely around-I couldn't fault the ground. I'm very happy with him the way he's been this morning. I'd say he's near enough there now. Nearly 100 percent, I'd say.
Q: What is your impression of the race track at Tokyo? Are there any contenders that you regard as rivals?
A: The Tokyo Racecourse is a very good racecourse. It rides well and it's a fair track. The Japan Cup as always is very competitive and there are seven or eight grade 1 winners, it's a very very tough race to win. The good filly Vodka, she loves it around in Tokyo, the Japanese Derby Winner…. so many good horses in it and they are very competitive. We watched the DVDs of all the Japan Cup races last night and I said to Neil, "There's a lot of great horses that have run in it from all over the world and haven't won it-that's how hard they are to win, you know. Some great horses have won the race over the years."
Q: What is the strongest point of this horse? What are your expectations for the race?
A: He's like the old horses that we've had that in the future would run in the Japan Cup-the older he's got, the stronger he's got physically and mentally he's got, and he's had a good campaign this year. We think he's fresh and well and just hope for the best and we think he's in very good condition. Well, it's going to be a very tough race to win.
Q: Regarding the two Breeders' Cup, the 2009 Breeders' Cup, he seemed to make his move a little bit earlier, maybe the circumstances were different, but if you could just talk a little bit about those two races, and which riding style best suits him.
A: In the 2008 Breeders' Cup, they went a very very fast pace. Aidan O'Brian's horses went off and made a good pace. It suits him to sit behind. We need a strong pace-and that's what we got last year. The way Presious Passion jumped off in the Breeders' Cup (this year), he went a very very good and fast-it suited us, but the jockey made a decision coming into the turn, and he sat him on and he made the right move at the right time. He got it well, you know.

Today's training (on the turf course):
- jogged appr.1,000m, cantered appr.1,200m, walked (turf course)
(exercised from 7:08 to 7:16, ridden by Neil Varley)

"The track surface near the rail looks a little rough, so we hope we can draw a stall from the middle to the outside."
(Comments taken from Anthony Cromby)

INTERPATATION (USA, g7, dark bay or brown)
Owner: Elliot Mavorah
Trainer: Robert Barbara

Q: What is the major reason for your participation in the Japan Cup? Since when have you included JC in your rotation?
O: We decided enter him after our trainer, Bobby Barbara, got invited to the race, after we won the th Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.
Q: How would you rate his current condition out of 100%?
T: Well, I haven't seen him for a week since he's been here. And my assistant trainer and my people have told me that he's doing really well. This morning was the first time I've seen him train. He looked wonderful to me and I think he's going to be 100 percent on race day.
Q: What is your impression of the race track at Tokyo? Are there any contenders that you regard as rivals?
T: As far as the racecourse, being here today, was wonderful. I've enjoyed every minute of it and everyone's been wonderful to me since I've been here, when I came in yesterday. I loved the way how the people have treated me and the people that I'm with. As far as who's in the race, who's in it is in it, and there are 18 horses and we've got to beat 17 of them. And, you know, Conduit and you know the Japanese horse I've heard something about-a filly that you have. I haven't really seen all the PPs to go over it that clearly in my head right now, but I will as the next day or two go on.
Q: What is the strongest point of this horse? What are your expectations for the race?
T: His strongest point is that he's got a lot of heart and is resilient-he just keeps coming back and fight all the time-he's been running for five years and he keeps trying harder and harder. His last race, was like putting him over the top-he was very keen that day. I'm hoping that he's in good shape and could come back to another race like that he had a month ago at Belmont Park.
Q: The turf was very soft at Belmont Park the day he won the Joe Hirsch. Is that the kind of surface that he runs best on? And do you think that played into the victory as much as anything else?
T: I guess we'll find that out on Sunday. He didn't really like a soft turf course early on in his life. For him to run like he did on that really soft turf course surprised me that day that he did handle the soft turf that well because in the years past, he wasn't that thrilled about a soft turf course.

Today's training (on the turf course):
- lightly cantered appr.2,000m (dirt course)
(exercised from 8:21 to 8:27, ridden by Robert Sigouin)

"The horse looks like he's feeling very well, and his condition is very good. I saw him this morning for the first time in three weeks, and looking at how good he's been prepared, I'm confident that he will enter the race in his best form. Regarding the draw, an inner stall would suit this horse."
(Comments taken from Robert Barbara)

JUST AS WELL (USA, h6, dark bay or brown)
Owner/Trainer: Jonathan Sheppard

Q: What is the major reason for your participation in the Japan Cup? Since when have you included JC in your rotation?
T: I'd been here before a few years ago with Anticipation and very much liked the experience. I met the representatives from JRA in Saratoga and they mentioned a couple of good fillies that had and I said there were going to run in the Breeder's Cup and it wouldn't be very good timing but I mentioned that I had this other horse, Just As Well, that could be an option if he was approved. At that time, he was not one of the primary selections but he was put on an alternate list. Of course, I didn't find out (that he was selected) until actually after the Breeder's Cup because two of the horses picked ahead of him were running in the Breeder's Cup-Einstein and Gio Ponti. I guess they declined and left a spot open for us and I accepted it.
Q: How would you rate his current condition out of 100%?
T: I feel that Just As Well is coming into this race in very good condition. Because he didn't run in the Breeders' Cup, he's fresh. He's put on a little bit of weight since he's been here. I watched him work this morning on the turf course and I was very happy with the way he went. He's had a fairly busy season but as I say, he had a little bit of a break prior coming here and hopefully he's in 95 percent-as good as he can be. Whether that's good enough, I don't know. I know you have some good horses in this country.
Q: What is your impression of the race track at Tokyo? Are there any contenders that you regard as rivals?
T: I like the track very much. I was on the turf course this morning and it seemed to be in a very good condition. It's a very beautiful track and you people have done a wonderful job renovating the facilities and the grandstand. Regarding the rivals, I must admit that I've just arrived here last night and haven't had a chance to go through the form of your local horses. But I have a lot of respect for the Japanese horses, having being here before. I'm sure they are going to be very tough. And of course, you have some good horses also coming from abroad-Conduit is a very good horse, I saw him in the Breeders' Cup Turf- and the two American horses are pretty nice, too. So I think it's a very competitive race.
Q: What is the strongest point of this horse? What are your expectations for the race?
T: I think the fact that he finishes races strongly. He has good stamina. He doesn't have very quick acceleration, takes him a little bit of time to build up his top speed. And I like the fact that it's a longer stretch run here at Tokyo Racecourse than he's used to in America, because it gives him more time reach his full stride-I think that should suit him.
Q: Do you think he's on the upgrade as a six-year-old?
T: Yes I do. He's had a very interrupted career as a younger horse. So I think he ran three or four times as a three-year-old and not again until he was five-so he was much less experienced than most of the horses he was running against. And it took him a few race, not only to himself to figure out how to handle the better company he was running against and also perhaps for me as his trainer trying to figure out what his best distance was and how he should be best ridden. Originally, he was rather anxious in the beginning of his races and we had to teach him to settle and to relax. We gradually built up-as he learned to do that-the distance of his races and now he's had a couple of back-to-back mile and a half races and that seems to be a good distance for him now.
Q: Where will he be coming from the back of the field off the pace on Sunday?
T: I would expect him to be certainly not more forward, say, than the middle of the field-it's a big field-opefully, he won't be way in the very back but he'll definitely off the pace early on.

Today's training (on the turf course): - cantered, gradually cantered strongly appr .2,000m, galloped on stretch (turf course) (exercised from 8:20 to 8:31, ridden by Barry Wiseman)

"The horse's condition is good, the latter part of the breeze was especially good."
(Comments taken from Barry Wiseman)

"It would be nice if his starting gate is in a inner gate from the middle."
(Comments taken from Jonathan Shepard)