Japanese horse racing duo Gentildonna and Just A Way ready to bid farewell

They have been on the go since Dubai in March, but Gentildonna and Just A Way will bring the curtain down on their respective careers on Sunday morning in the Grade 1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse.

Gentildonna and Just A Way were both impressive winners at Meydan on World Cup night with respective wins in the Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Duty Free.

Since then, neither horse has reached the same level of form and their reputations have taken a knock for it.

The Arima Kinen is an invitation race, with 10 of the 16 berths voted by race fans.

As a sign of how far their respective stars have fallen, neither Just A Way, the world’s highest-rated thoroughbred, nor Gentildonna, the former darling of Japanese racing, topped the polls.

That accolade went to Gold Ship, who won the Takarazuka Kinen and Hanshin Daishoten this season.

Gentildonna is set to receive a grand retirement ceremony after the race, and all trainer Sei Ishizaka hopes is that the mare does herself justice.

“She’s been full of energy since the Japan Cup,” he said. “I see her and I see a racehorse who can’t wait to run again. This will be it for her, but all I want for her is to come home in one piece. It’s all I ask.”

Just A Way’s trainer had similar sentiments.

“After the Japan Cup he had, he’s ready to give it everything he’s got now,” Naosuke Sugai said. “This will be the last race for him, so I just want him to end his career with no regrets.”

sports@thenational.ae

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1. Christopher Froome (GBR/Sky) 68hr 18min 36sec,

2. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) at 0:18.

3. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 0:23.

4. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) 0:29.

5. Mikel Landa (ESP/SKY) 1:17.

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Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”

if you go

The flights

Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.

The trip

Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.