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TOKYO: French jockey Christophe Lemaire guided top-choice Japanese filly Vodka to beat Oken Bruce Lee by a nose to win the 2,400-metre Japan Cup horse race on Sunday.
Vodka, running in fourth on the back straight among elite 18 thoroughbreds put on a spurt in the final furlong to take the lead.
Oken Bruce Lee with Hiroyuki Uchida in the saddle chased hard but Vodka crossed faster in a photo finish timed at two minutes 22.4 seconds. Japan's Red Desire finished third, one-and-a-half lengths further back.
"When I crossed I thought I won. But Uchida-san finished so fast. So I had a doubt. I didn't know," Lemaire said in English.
Among foreign entrants, Britain's Conduit was fourth, American Just as Well seventh, Britain's Scintillo 11th, American Interpatation 14th place tie, and another American horse Marsh Side was 17th.
"I was happy before the race because the filly was very quiet, very calm, and the pace was good enough," said the 30-year-old Lemaire, who has been runner-up twice in the Japan Cup before.
"She wanted to go in the last corner, but I kept her a little bit and tried to keep the energy for the last 200 metres."
Vodka, now five years old, became the first filly in 64 years to win the Japanese Derby in May 2007.
"Uchida's horse is very good, but Vodka is the champion," said Lemaire.
"I was happy to ride Vodka. I did well the job and I'm very happy for all the fans of Vodka," he added. "She is such a great horse, she deserves the victory like the Japan Cup." - AFP/de
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