“Hero Is Coming” was the tagline of the 43rd Japan Cup. And for the world’s top-rated horse, Equinox, trained by Tetsuya Kimura and ridden by Frenchman Christophe Lemaire, the tagline proved to be more than just words. However, the moment also came with its fair share of pressure and doubts.

After the trio delivered excellence in front of equestrian fans and claimed victory, the profound reality of the moment saw both the jockey and trainer get emotional and break down.

Christophe Lemaire breaks down with trainer

In a recent post on X by World Horse Racing, the handle shared a post captioned “EQUINOX, what did we do to deserve you…?” that stirred the hearts of race fans. The video captured Christophe Lemaire breaking down in tears and sharing, “I’m not used to crying, but today was very special.” After the exhilarating race at the Tokyo Racecourse, both Christophe Lemaire and Tetsuya Kimura were left sobbing in joy after taking their victory lap.

The high-stakes race placed immense pressure on the duo, as Equinox faced his most significant challenge yet. Even Tetsuya Kimura, amid the excitement of the race, admitted his doubts that the world’s best racehorse would live up to its name.

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The doubts that worried Tetsuya Kimura

Equinox, sired by Kitasan Black and born to the mare Chateau Blanche, faced a challenging start as he trailed behind Panthalassa by 20 lengths in the first half. Tetsuya Kimura shared, “I got my blood pressure up because Panthalassa continued to lead the race. I was feeling a lot of pressure until the moment Equinox finished the race.”

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However, towards the end of the 1 ¼ mile racetrack, Equinox pulled away in 2:21.8, leaving a field of powerful and talented 18 horses on his trail. Panthalassa, who initially led the pack, came in 12th. Proud of what the trio pulled off, Christophe Lemaire shared in a post-race interview, “I feel very happy, relieved, and proud. Many emotions come into my mind because what we saw today was just unbelievable, and I think all racing fans and horse lovers, they saw something special”. 

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