Pavel lands in Japan ahead of Gr.1 Champions Cup
The sole international contender for this year’s Gr.1 Champions Cup, U.S.trained Pavel, arrived in Japan on Wednesday.
The Leandro Mora-trained, 4-year-old colt is currently based in the quarantine facilities at the JRA Horseracing School Quarantine Center, after completing an arduous 17-hour journey from his home stable.
The last foreign horse to run in the Champions Cup was Hong Kong’s Gun Pit in 2015.
The Creative Cause colt won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap this year and is fresh off a 10th-place finish in the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Classic earlier this month.
Reddam Racing’s Pavel was a respectable fourth in the Gr.1 Dubai World Cup. Trainer Doug O’Neill has left the door open for a possible return to Dubai again.
Credit: Ritesh Jamkhedkar ritesh.jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com