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By Ray Hickson

He’s already won the world’s richest race, run on dirt, and Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi has revealed he’d like to win the richest race on turf.

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi

The popular trainer is in Sydney to oversee the preparation of Unicorn Lion for Saturday week’s Group 1 $5m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and he said Australia’s two richest races – the $15m TAB Everest and $10m Golden Eagle are in his sights.

“Wheverer I go in the world our focus is to win a race and bring the prizemoney back home,’’ Yahagi said.

“There are plenty of races in Australia I would like to have runners in such as The Everest and the Golden Eagle so we are always looking at those races.”

Yahagi, who won the $20m Saudi Cup just over a month ago with Panthalassa, was at Canterbury on Wednesday as Unicorn Lion had a solid workout with stablemate Ho O Amazon in what was the seven-year-old’s major gallop ahead of the Queen Elizabeth.

But he’s certainly no stranger to Australia, particularly Randwick where the Queen Elizabeth is staged, as he was a student of trainer Neville Begg, a member of the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame, when he was just 20 years old.

“Randwick is where I started my racing career so I’m really excited to be back here,’’ he said.

“I first arrived in Australia in 1981 and was under the care of Neville Begg. He was so good to me, I learned from him and he was my master.

“As I am back at Randwick I would really love to win a race and take a trophy home.

“It was our plan to give him the strongest hitout today because the race is next week so I was really happy with the gallop.”

The last Japanese runners in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes were Kluger, who finished second in Winx’s farewell in 2019, and Danon Premium, third behind UK star Addeybb, a year later.

Yahagi said he had plans to travel a horse to Sydney a few years ago that were scuppered by the pandemic.

It’s clear that Unicorn Lion is a talented racehorse. He was Group 1 placed over 2200m in June 2021 and is a two time Group 3 winner. He contested the Japan Cup last November and was beaten 10 lengths, his last run was in a Group 2 at Hanshin and he finished midfield.

The travel to Sydney was never going to be a concern for Yahagi and as far as the Queen Elizabeth is concerned he’s wary of the horse he doesn’t know – local star Anamoe who shares favouritism with Ranvet Stakes winner Dubai Honour.

“I’ve raced against Dubai Honour in the past so I know a bit about it,’’ he said.

“But Anamoe is an Australian based horse and I pretty much know nothing about it so I definitely think he is a danger to us.

“Unicorn Lion is a typical front runner, he is racing against high quality middle distance horses in this race so I just have to hope he will get in front without much hassle.”

Japanese 🇯🇵 galloper Unicorn Lion (19) has a strong gallop with Ho O Amazon at Canterbury in preparation for Saturday week's $5m @Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Day 2 of The Star Championships. @tabcomau @HorseRacing_JPN pic.twitter.com/aj1UUL8heH

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) March 29, 2023

As for Ho O Amazon, Yahagi said running in the Group 1 $1.5m Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) on April 15 is a perfect opportunity at the top level that isn’t available back home.

The five-year-old has won three races at a mile but has recorded multiple Group placings at 1400m.

“First and foremost he is more suited to a 1400m race, we don’t have a Group 1 in Japan (at 1400m) so that’s the reason why we brought him for All Aged,’’ he said.

“In April in Sydney we know there is a lot of rain and you can get softer ground and Ho O Amazon likes a softer surface.”

All the fields, form and replays for Day 1 of The Star Championships at Randwick