Meeting with the three Japanese trainers who will saddle runners in the 2025 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

On Sunday, October 5, three Japanese trainers will be represented in the 2025 renewal of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group 1): Hiroyasu Tanaka with Alohi Alii, Tomoyasu Sakaguchi with Byzantine Dream, and Takashi Saito with Croix du Nord. All three are pursuing Japan’s collective dream: capturing victory in the world’s greatest flat race, after several attempts that produced painful runner-up finishes (El Condor Pasa, Nakayama Festa, Orfevre…).

For these three trainers, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is much more than a race: it is a national quest. On Sunday, Alohi Alii, Byzantine Dream, and Croix du Nord will carry the hopes of an entire nation, determined to triumph at ParisLongchamp.

Alohi Alii, Hiroyasu Tanaka’s battling outsider

Placed at Group level (the top tier of the program) in Japan, Alohi Alii made a name for himself abroad by winning the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano in style this summer at Deauville. On good ground, he dominated the field, defeating among others the French colt Cualificar, another leading contender for the 2025 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Before the Arc, Alohi Alii thus demonstrated his ability to adapt outside Japan, a crucial factor in overcoming the barrier that has eluded his predecessors. He is certainly the biggest outsider among the three Japanese contenders this year.»

Byzantine Dream, Tomoyasu Sakaguchi’s great traveler

A seasoned international competitor, Byzantine Dream boasts proven stamina. In 2025, he performed at the highest level: narrowly missing out on victory in the Tenno Sho (Spring), a Group 1 over 3,200 meters in Japan, and then capturing the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia over 3,000 meters.
At ParisLongchamp, he made a big impression by winning the Group 2 Qatar Prix Foy, his prep race for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. On that day, he defeated two horses who will be major players on Sunday at ParisLongchamp: Sosie and Los Angeles.

Croix du Nord, Takashi Saito’s trump card

He is regarded by many as Japan’s best chance since champion Orfevre, who was twice runner-up in the Arc. Winner of the Japanese Derby, Croix du Nord confirmed his quality in France by capturing the Prix du Prince d’Orange at ParisLongchamp, beating the French colt Daryz. A tall, handsome black horse, he is both tough and endowed with great stamina. Croix du Nord is simply one of the three favorites for the 2025 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Hiroyasu Tanaka, Tomoyasu Sakaguchi, and Takashi Saito discussed their runners’ chances, as well as the importance of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, during a press conference held on Wednesday at Chantilly by France Galop.

Hiroyasu Tanaka (trainer of Alohi Alii)

“I studied in France for a long time, and the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was an inspiration for me to become a trainer. Already, as a jockey, I had come to France several times and stayed for long periods.

Becoming a trainer with the Arc as a goal has always been an ambition for me. Today, I am very happy to be able to participate in this great race. Of course, we aim for victory, but above all I am happy to be here with my horse.

The Prix Guillaume d’Ornano is a high-level race, a Group 2 in France. It was a real challenge for Alohi Alii, but he rose to it brilliantly. His form has been excellent since then. His jockey, Christophe Lemaire, has already won with many of my horses. He is a jockey of international class, active all over the world. Even though he had never ridden Alohi Alii before Deauville, he had experience with my other horses.

His knowledge of France and his international experience are a huge asset. After the Deauville victory, it was natural for us to continue with Christophe Lemaire. He is an essential partner of our team. After the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), we decided to aim directly at the Grand Prix de Paris [a Group 1 the colt ultimately did not contest, ed.], rather than wait for a possible engagement in the Japanese Derby. We did not want to remain in uncertainty. From that moment on, our main objective was to prepare for the Arc through the French route.

When he lined up at Deauville, he had not raced for four months. Ten days before, we were still hesitating to declare him because his condition was not optimal. In the end, he won. After the race he was tired, but ten days later he had already recovered well.

We had always planned a six-week program to prepare for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. This time allowed him to toughen up, adapt to training at Chantilly and to French tracks. Today, he is much stronger than at Deauville, and I can say that he is well acclimatized and in much better condition. He has worked at Chantilly and already raced on slightly soft ground at Deauville. ParisLongchamp is often very testing at the beginning of October, but I trust his pedigree and his balance in racing.

Everything will depend on the race’s unfolding and his position in the field. Deeper ground can discourage a horse, but I do not want to look for excuses. Rain is forecast, but we have done everything to make sure he is ready to run whatever the conditions. I believe in him.”

Tomoyasu Sakaguchi (trainer of Byzantine Dream)

“This is a great race, with many foreign horses. I am very happy to be able to run a horse in such a prestigious race. It is a great honor for me to represent Japan in such an event.

Byzantine Dream won the Qatar Prix Foy, and it was a very fine victory. But in the Arc, the number of runners and the pace will be different. The time is a reference, but it is not the most important.

Since that race, the horse has progressed. He has taken several steps forward in his preparation and today he is very fresh. I think he is in excellent condition. Of course, you cannot directly compare the Foy and the Arc. The distance is the same, but the pace and the quality of the field will be different. What matters is that the horse won easily, and he has improved further since. He is progressing constantly and retains his freshness.

His jockey, Oisin Murphy, won the Red Sea Handicap in Riyadh with Byzantine Dream, where we had already collaborated. It was a very good ride. He was available for the prep race and for the Arc. That is why we decided to continue with him.

So far, I have never had a problem with the ground. He adapts well. But we have never run on very heavy ground, so I do not know exactly how he would react in those extreme conditions.

Ideally, we would like rather good ground, because he has shown a good balance on that type of surface. If the ground is softer, it is a real unknown. We will see on Sunday. Byzantine Dream has raced over long distances. Since he was young, he has shown great stamina and resilience. That is why he ran well over 3,200 meters. But he has also recently proven that he can adapt perfectly to 2,400 meters. I have absolutely no concern about the Arc distance.”

Takashi Saito (trainer of Croix du Nord)

“I ran in the Arc four years ago, and the result was not good. I regret not being able to do better at that time. It is therefore a great honor for me to return to this prestigious race with Croix du Nord. Four years ago, I came with Chrono Genesis. The result was disappointing, and I carried many regrets after that race, which now serve me well.

This year, I am coming back with another horse, Croix du Nord, and I am happy and proud to participate again. With Chrono Genesis, we had worked very hard in Japan, perhaps too hard. After the race, I understood that it had been excessive. Since then, I have had experiences in Saudi Arabia, in Dubai, and of course in Japan. I have learned many lessons, with many different horses.

The most attractive element of the Prix du Prince d’Orange, which I chose as a prep race, was the distance and the pace, which is usually slower in a Group 3.

Of course, Croix du Nord is a Japanese Derby winner, but at the same time he is still a relatively inexperienced three-year-old. Yet I have no worries about that. In the past, horses like Lammtarra had little racing experience before succeeding. So no, I have no concern about his lack of experience.

In his last race in the Prix du Prince d’Orange, the ground was fairly soft, but he handled it well. At the finish, Daryz closed in, which shows that the ground could be demanding.

I think that if the ground is similar to what it was two weeks ago, he will run well. But you never know, we will see on Sunday. Croix du Nord is well. I do not think that race left any marks on him, even compared to the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas).

The horse has recovered well. I hope that our choice of program was the right one, but we will find out on Sunday, October 5.”

QREC, Official Partner of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) was established in the early 1960s and officially made public in 1975. Its mandate is to represent, promote, and advance equine and equestrian initiatives locally and internationally. Focused on equestrian sport and horse welfare, QREC is dedicated to promoting Qatar as a global hub of horse racing and a leader in the Arabian thoroughbred breed.

QREC works in collaboration with local bodies committed to excellence in planning, regulation, and development of the racing sector in Qatar to promote best global practices. QREC has been a partner of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe since 2008 and the title partner of the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club since 2021, one of the main selection races.

Please find all press releases and royalty-free photos

in the media section of the France Galop website: CLICK HERE