It has been eight years since the Japanese won Australia’s iconic race – the 2006 Melbourne Cup and now they have added the 2014 G1 Caulfield Cup.

A breathtaking burst of acceleration by Admire Rakti under a masterful ride from Australia’s Zac Purton saw him easily account for the capacity field.

The Japanese had tried previously to wrest the Caulfield Cup away to the land of the rising sun, coming close with Delta Blues in 2006 when third beaten a half-length behind Tawqeet and running to a Timeform rating of 125 - en-route to a historic Melbourne Cup victory from fellow Japanese galloper Pop Rock.

The talented Eye Popper had also just failed to reel in Railings the year prior in the Caulfield Cup going under by a head running to a Timeform rating of 118.

Now that quarantine rules again allow Japanese horses to compete in the spring, it should have been no surprise that some of their better class gallopers would venture to Australia.

The point is that both Bande, scratched from the Cup last Friday when found to be sore, and Admire Rakti although quality stayers in Japan are not counted amongst their leading stayers such as Gold Ship, Gentildonna and Harp Star. In fact both rank between 20 to 30 on the list of leading thoroughbreds in Japan.

However in Australia, that level of Japanese galloper is clearly good enough to carry big weights and still be very competitive against the best we have to offer – which sadly is not much, locals relying on imported stayers purchased overseas to repel the challenge.

In the 18 horse field, just 5 runners were Australian or New Zealand bred, the remaining 13 came from north of the equator.

Admire Rakti overcame a wide run and a dreadfully slow early first section in the race to score with something in hand at the finish from Rising Romance and Lucia Valentina becoming just the fifth horse in 50 years to carry 58kgs or more to victory in a Caulfield Cup joining Dunaden (2012), Northerly (2002), Ming Dynasty (1980) and Grey Icarus (1971).

The overall race time was 2.32:12, the third slowest time in the last 25 years behind Descarado (2010) and Mannerism (1992) who both scored on significantly rain affected going. While some may argue the going on Saturday was indeed worse than the “official” good, it was no where near the track conditions experienced in 1992 or 2010.

So slow did the leaders go through the first 1200m of the Cup that there was at least a five second differential between the two sections – 1st 1200m in 78.7 seconds and 2nd 1200m in 73.35 seconds.

Such a slow early pace should have favoured the horses near the lead so the efforts of Admire Rakti and Lucia Valentina to make up so much ground from worse than midfield at the 1200m as well as covering additional ground were outstanding.

Admire Rakti had not won a race since 20th October 2012, but had managed some encouraging efforts in Japan all the same, that included a fourth in the 2013 Japan Cup behind Gentildonna.

That form was repeated here in the Caulfield Cup, plus some, as he launched out wide after making a long run around the field before balancing up 12 horses deep to chase down ATC Oaks winner Rising Romance who had saved valuable ground with a saloon passage run along the rail from around the 750m.

Rising Romance looked home when she dashed over two lengths clear at the 250m but could not hold out the winner from whom she was receiving five kilos in weight.

In arriving at a Timeform rating for the winner a figure of 129 was considered appropriate for the performance. This figure includes a mark-up over the bare form but is consistent with his 128 Timeform ratings from his best Japanese runs and is at the mid-range of values suggested by historical race standardisation techniques that suggested a range of possible values between 126 and 137.

Clearly given the pre-race historical ratings profiles of the contributing runners, a figure in the 130’s could not be justified, 129 being a more appropriate level all things considered as the quality of the race through finishers second to fifth put the race three pounds below the five year average Timeform ratings for those finish positions.

So while the winner’s performance was outstanding earning him a Timeform rating three pounds above the five year winning average Timeform rating for the Caulfield Cup, it is clear the opposition was below standard.

At that level, Admire Rakti falls a pound behind another dynamic northern hemisphere-trained winner in Dunaden who ran to a Timeform rating of 130 in 2012.

Admire Rakti has been penalised 0.5kg for the Melbourne Cup following his Caulfield Cup victory. He will now carry 58.5kgs on the first Tuesday in November and in the historical stakes, Admire Rakti does have it all to do.

If successful he will equal the feat of Think Big who carried 58.5kgs to win his second Melbourne Cup in 1975. Since 1954 just two other horses have carried more than 58.5kgs to victory, Rain Lover 60.5kgs in 1969 and Rising Fast 59.5kgs in 1954.

As capable as Admire Rakti is, historical evidence reveals he faces a sizeable task to win the Melbourne Cup with 58.5kgs. Since 1980 there have been 19 horses asked to carry greater than 58kgs in the Melbourne Cup – all have lost.

And they included some very talented stayers - Dunaden (2013 -11th - 58.5kgs), Dunaden (2012 – 14th – 59.0kgs), Septimus (2008 – 18th – 58.5kgs), Yeats (2006 – 7th – 59.0 kgs), Vinnie Roe (2002 – 4th – 59.0kgs), Vintage Crop (1995 – 3rd – 59.0kgs), Jeune (1995 – 15th – 59.0kgs), Double Trigger (1995 – 17th – 60.5kgs), Vintage Crop (1994 – 7th – 60.0kgs), Drum Taps (1993 – 9th – 58.5kgs), Subzero (1993 – 15th – 58.5kgs), Better Loosen Up (1992 – 12th – 59.0kgs) Super Impose (1992 – 15th – 59.0kgs), Super Impose (1991- 4th – 60.0kgs), Sydeston (1990 – 11th – 58.5kgs). Just A Dash (1982 – 16th – 59.5kgs), Kingston Town (1982 – 2nd – 59.0kgs),Kingston Town (1981 -20th – 60.5kgs), Hyperno (1980 – 7th - 58.5kgs).

In the same period a further ten horses have been asked to carry 58kgs – all, bar the mighty Makybe Diva in 2005, have lost.

Admire Rakti will certainly carry the No 1 saddlecloth in the Melbourne Cup but historically they have a poor record dating all the way back to 1877.

Just 11 have been successful in 137 years, the last Makybe Diva in 2005, and before her Rain Lover in 1969. Then it is back to 1954 to find the previous top weight winner, the mighty New Zealand stayer Rising Fast. The other eight are Dalray (1952), Delta (1951), Comic Court (1950), Russia (1946), Peter Pan (1934), Phar Lap (1930), Poitrel (1920) and Carbine (1890).

History clearly says a daunting outcome awaits Admire Rakti on Cup day.

The runner-up Rising Romance returned to top form but was flattered by the cosy run she enjoyed during the race and the ground she saved by railing to the lead unpressured turning for home. After the Cup she sits with a new master Timeform rating of 119, but the figure will be reviewed after her next run.

Third placed Lucia Valentina although beaten lost no admirers from a Melbourne Cup view point.

She was awkwardly placed from the outset, being four wide in last place after turning out of the straight the first time. She did eventually did recover to get onto the back of Admire Rakti at the 800m when he began to make his winning move.

Both Admire Rakti and Lucia Valentina were pushed off the track (13 or 14 deep) making their runs with Lucia Valentina about a length behind the Japanese raider.

After turning for home she had to change course before balancing up to chase down the leaders going home better than any other runner in the last 200m clocking in at 11.84 seconds.

Like the winner her effort has been marked up over the bare form and she now sits with a Timeform rating of 121.

Melbourne Cup bound Araldo confirmed the merit of his excellent third to Junoob in the G1 Metropolitan with another impressive effort rushing home for fifth and running to a slightly higher master Timeform rating of 113, up a pound.

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