Japan’s Saudi Cup hero Panthalassa set for Sussex Stakes and Juddmonte International

Panthalassa (Yutaka Yoshida) holds Country Grammer in the $20m Saudi Cup. Photo: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia / Erika Rasmussen

Japan: Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa is heading to Europe this summer for a two-race G1 campaign in Britain.

Renowned globe-trotting trainer Yoshito Yahagi has earmarked a two-race campaign for the six-year-old taking in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on August 2 before the Juddmonte International at York’s Ebor meeting later the same month.

Panthalassa, who dead-heated with Lord North in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in 2022, landed the world’s richest race on dirt in Riyadh in February. He was a disappointing tenth of 15 on his most recent outing back at Meydan in the Dubai World Cup.

“He was tired but seems to be recovering now,” reported Yahagi, speaking to Nikkan Sports and repoted by netkeiba.com.

“If we were going on an expedition, I wanted to find a tough mile and I took the conditions and status of the race into account.

“After that, depending on his condition, I have a plan to compete in the International Stakes – York is flat with a one-turn 2,050 metres so I have the image of it as a speed 2,050 metres.”

Yahagi saddled last year’s Godolphin Mile winner Bathrat Leon to finish fourth at 66-1 behind Baaeed in last year’s Sussex Stakes. 

The trainer, who made headlines in the US with his historic Breeders’ Cup double at Del Mar in 2021, also has an eye on the Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo racecourse on October 29. He is set to run Continuar in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday week.

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