By Heather Anderson
Japan continued its dominance of lucrative Middle Eastern races with a one-length score by Strauss in the inaugural $1-million Listed Abu Dhabi Gold Cup over a mile on Saturday. Brazilian Joao “Magic Man” Moreira gave the son of Maurice a textbook perfect ride, and the five-year-old entire responded, becoming the first Japanese horse to win in Abu Dhabi.
Nestled in midfield just off the pace set by Crown Board (Lope De Vega), the Carrot Farm runner bided his time through the early stages. Still trapped behind a wall of horses with 400 metres left, Strauss willingly charged through a gap shortly thereafter and pounced on the leader.
Overhauling Crown Board by midstretch, the winner fended off the furiously closing Dark Trooper (Dark Angel) and closer to the inside, Comanche Brave (Wootton Bassett). At the line, the margin was a length, with a similar margin separating Wathnan Racing's Dark Trooper in second and the Coolmore partners' Comanche Brave in third. Quddwah (Kingman {GB}) was another 1 1/2 lengths back in fourth for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
“He's such a nice horse he wasn't able to give the best of himself a month ago but today he could,” said Moreira. “In Australia he didn't jump out of the gate very quickly but today he did. He was always travelling strongly and when I pulled him out he went whoosh. He was in such great form today.
“I can't believe this was going to happen in a place I've never ridden before, it's made me extremely happy.”
Added trainer Ryo Takei, “He gets really keen but today he was boxed in on the rail and Joao did an amazing job. I had watched videos of racing on this track and thought it was a great opportunity for my horse.
“We will take him back to Japan and maybe think about a World Cup race next year. He's earned a shot at a race [GI Old Forester Turf Classic] at Churchill Downs in May and that is an option.”
In his native land, Strauss won the G2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes at two. At three, he was second in the Listed Oro Cup, and in 2025 he won the Listed Shirafuji Stakes in February. After an unplaced run, he added a third in the G3 CBC Sho in August and was a last-out sixth in the Russell Balding Stakes (Cond.) at Randwick in November.
Shadai Stallion Station's Maurice has 34 stakes winners–23 group scorers–to his name. Known by the nickname, “the Beast from the East”, the son of Screen Hero was the Japanese Horse of the Year in 2015 and earned seven Group 1 victories in Japan and Hong Kong. His seven Group 1 winners are split three (Australia) to four (Japan) anchored by Australian Derby, Victoria Derby and Australian Guineas hero Hitotsu.
A half-brother to Japanese listed winner Voller Blute (Epiphaneia), Strauss is out of the G1 Mile Championship heroine Blumenblatt (Admire Vega). Of her 12 foals, 11 have made the races, and Strauss is one of 10 winners for the relative of multiple graded winner Laramie Trail (Swaps).
ABU DHABI GOLD CUP-LISTED, $1,000,000, 2-7, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1600mT, 1:33.98, gd.
1–STRAUSS (JPN), 125, h, 5, Maurice (Jpn)–Blumenblatt (Jpn)
(G1SW-Jpn, $3,314,835), by Admire Vega (Jpn). O-Carrot
Farm Co., Ltd. B-Northern Farm (Jpn). T-Ryo Takei. J-Joao
Moreira. $600,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn, 13-4-1-2,
$1,313,021. *1/2 to Voller Blute (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), SW-
Jpn, $266,000.
2–Dark Trooper (Ire), 125, g, 6, Dark Angel (Ire)–Warshah (Ire),
by Shamardal. (60,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; 500,000gns HRA '23
TATOCT). O-Wathnan Racing. B-Yeomanstown Stud (Ire).
$200,000.
3–Comanche Brave (Ire), 125, c, 4, Wootton Bassett (GB)–
Ishvana (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). O-Mrs John
Magnier & Mrs A M O'Brien. B-Whisperview Trading, Ltd. (Ire).
$100,000.
Margins: 1, 1, 1 1/2.
Also Ran: Quddwah (GB), Andreas Vesalius (Ire), Chicago Critic (GB), Jonquil (GB), Crown Board (Ire), Tumbler (Fr), Vafortino (Ire), Maljoom (Ire), Aomori City (Fr), Folk Festival (Ire), Dioptase (Ire), Western Writer (Ire). Scratched: Witness Stand (GB).
Click for the ERA chart and video.
Japan strikes in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup! 🇯🇵
Strauss lands the $1m feature under Joao Moreira for Ryo Takei @adturfclub #シュトラウス pic.twitter.com/1dVgJP1JcT
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 7, 2026
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