Warp Speed attempting to become the third Japan-trained Caulfield Cup winner

Nobody at Caulfield was able to miss Japanese Caulfield Cup hopeful Warp Speed as the stayer completed his preparation with a look at the venue for Saturday’s $5m challenge.

Pressure creates diamonds but it could also create a third win for Japanese stayers in Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup.

Admire Rakti and Mer De Glace claimed the Caulfield Cup for Japan in 2014 and 2019 respectively while Warp Speed will attempt to emulate those deeds on his way to the Melbourne Cup.

Delta Blues and Pop Rock also took in the Caulfield Cup on the way to their famous Melbourne Cup quinella in 2006.

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Delta Blues finished third to Tawqeet in that year’s Cup with Pop Rock just over a length from the winner in seventh spot.

Amazingly, Delta Blues started at $81 in his Caulfield Cup placing but Australian punters learned to respect the Japanese stayers, sending out Admire Rakti at $11 and Mer De Glace at $8 in their respective winning years.

Ladbrokes rated Warp Speed at $19 in its final field market on the Caulfield Cup, easing his price from $17 after the stayer drew barrier 19, which will become 16 after scratchings.

Retired jumps jockey Kosuke ‘Kosi’ Kawakami has assisted nearly all of his compatriots’ bid for victory during a number of spring carnivals, including riding many of the stayers in trackwork in Melbourne.

Japanese Caulfield Cup contender Warp Speed has a look around the unfamiliar surroundings at Caulfield on Tuesday morning. Picture: Michael Klein

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Kawakami said Warp Speed, who has performed well behind the current star Japanese stayer T O Royal, would thrive on a fast Caulfield Cup tempo.

“I wouldn’t want to see the race pan out as a sit-and-sprint race because he’s not going to be suited,” Kawakami said.

“This fellow is a top class stayer in Japan and he feels like that.

“I would say Admire Rakti or Mer De Glace had a bit more turn of foot but this one is more of a deadset stayer.

“If it’s going to be a staying test this Saturday, then I think he’s going to have a great chance.

Kawakami rode Warp Speed in a gallop to familiarise the six-year-old with the Caulfield circuit, which is different to most of the spacious tracks in Japan, on Tuesday morning.

Japanese galloper Warp Speed was full of running in trackwork this morning ... but he was handed the visitor's draw for Saturday's Caulfield Cup. Get the full field and barriers: https://t.co/3ZXBpSjYXBpic.twitter.com/Da41apBBpJ

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The stallion’s bright yellow ear muffs made him a standout at the trackwork session but Kawakami said Warp Speed was not out to break the clock in his work.

“He’s been working well and I was quite impressed with a gallop he had with (Cox Plate favourite) Prognosis the other day,” he said

“That was a really good gallop.

“We didn’t have to do much today because he’s pretty fit so it was just to show him around Caulfield.

“He had a bit of a look around here and there so I was really glad we took him to Caulfield.

“It’s a bit tricky, of course, compared to some of the racecourses in Japan so it was good to give him a look around.

Kosi Kawakami riding Warp Speed of Japan during Caulfield Cup gallops on Tuesday morning. Picture: Getty Images

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Kawakami said Warp Speed would perform well but would also improve on his Caulfield Cup result when he gets to the bigger Flemington circuit for the 3200m of the Melbourne Cup.

“He’s ready to go for a big run this Saturday,” he said.

“He’s got good form over 2400m as well but he’s going to be suited to a big track over 3200m and a staying test.”

Japanese jockey Akira Sugawara will fly to Melbourne to ride Warp Speed for trainer Noboru Takagi, who will also be at Caulfield on Saturday.

Originally published as Warp Speed attempting to become the third Japan-trained Caulfield Cup winner