3 minute read
Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga concedes the distance of Europe's richest race is not ideal for star galloper Just A Way but he is excited about the opportunity.
Trained by Naosuke Sugai, Just A Way produced one of the best performances of the year when slamming Vercingetorix by six and a quarter lengths in the Dubai Duty Free in March under Fukunaga, who was suspended when the son of Heart's Cry captured another Grade 1 at Tokyo in June.
The rider, the son of former champion jockey Yoichi Fukunaga, will be back on board at Longchamp in October, when Just A Way will bid to break Japan's duck in the Arc.
He can be backed at 10-1, although Paddy Power go just 7-1, and Fukunaga said: "To win the Arc is a dream of Japanese people so I am very excited to ride in the race for the first time. Just A Way prefers fast ground. It's true it was soft ground last time, but as you could see in Dubai he prefers it quick.
"The trip is not ideal, but rather than feeling nervous about it I'm more excited. His ideal distance is nine or ten furlongs. Just A Way's strength is at the finish, where he can quicken - he passes the line really strongly."
