Cristian Demuro will return to Japan next month to take up a short-term JRA (Japan Racing Association) licence for the first time in two years. The Italian is also considering putting his name forward for a short spell in Hong Kong, should his schedule allow it and the Jockey Club there invite him.
The France-based rider has been a visitor to Japan since 2011 and has 195 wins there, including Group 1 scores in the Oka Sho, the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. He is also a regular partner for Japanese horses competing in Group 1 races internationally.
“It’s the plan to go to Japan and I would normally get there for Tenno Sho week, so I’d start on October 26, but I still have to confirm some details. I would stay for two months, until December 22,” Demuro told Idol Horse.
His most recent licence to ride in Japan came in the autumn of 2022 when his Queen Elizabeth II Cup victory aboard Sunday Racing’s Geraldina was one of 23 wins during that period, but he also picked up two suspensions, which put him over the penalty point threshold and precluded him from applying to ride there last year.
He has previously had backing from trainers Mitsumasa Nakauchida, Hideaki Fujiwara and Takashi Saito.
“I’m very excited to get back there because there are good horses to ride and good races, and the fans are amazing,” Demuro continued.
“When you go to Japan you feel that the people came to see you and the horses, and to enjoy the race, and they come to support you; they have flags saying ‘Demuro fans,’ and things like that, so it’s very special. It feels a bit like football in Europe.”
Demuro has long been keen to ride for a period of a month or two in Hong Kong as well, but his schedule makes it difficult. If he does get the opportunity to ride a contract in Hong Kong, he will follow his brother, Mirco Demuro, one of only two expatriate riders licensed full-time in Japan, who rode a Group 1-winning spell in Hong Kong during the 2013-14 season.
“I talk about Hong Kong many times,” Demuro said. “I really want to go, but the two months when I can go are the two months I go to Japan and after that it’s difficult because the season in France starts again. Maybe this year I will think about what I can do in January and February because I want to go there one time and see what might happen.
“Hong Kong is a special place as well, it’s a good place to be, I like the racing there. I’ve ridden in the jockey challenge and I’ve ridden in some big races there but I’ve never been for a longer period of time.
“I know it’s a tough place, it’s a hard place to stay. Even if you win on a horse, you can’t be sure you’ll be on it next time, it’s hard there, but it’s a great place to ride and to live and I’d like to experience more of that.”
Before he flies east for the winter, his focus is on preparing for France’s biggest weekend, the two-day Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fixture on October 5 and 6. Last year he won the Arc on the brilliant three-year-old Ace impact, his second success in the race following Sotsass in 2020, both for top trainer Jean-Claude Rouget.
“Ace Impact was a special horse for me,” he said. “I hope I have more like this but it will be very difficult: a horse like that is special. Everything looked easy when you rode him: you just made sure you didn’t get blocked and then he did everything alone.”
But with that superstar retired to stud, he could side with this year’s classic-winning filly, Sparkling Plenty in the hope he can make up for missing her victory in the G1 Prix de Diane in June.
“I won the Prix de Sandringham on her but then I broke my thumb and missed a month and she won the Prix de Diane,” he said. “I got back on her at Goodwood and finished third in the Nassau Stakes behind Opera Singer. She’s very good and if she can handle the extra distance for the Arc, she’s the filly I’d want to ride, but otherwise we will see. There’s still some time so things have not been decided.”
Despite the injury, and the difficulties of his big supporter Rouget dealing with cancer, Demuro has had 104 wins in France this year and among those was an eye-catching juvenile maiden winner that he has high hopes for, the Fabrice Chappet-trained Jovialite. The Medaglia D’Oro filly quickened away from her rivals to register a six-length score at Saint-Cloud on September 9.
“For me she is one of the best two-year-olds I’ve seen in France at the moment,” he said. “I worked her twice and she worked well, but in the race she surprised me because when I asked her to go she changed gear and her turn-of-foot was amazing.”
Jovialite could be one for next year, but for now he is looking forward to seeing out the year in Japan with Mirco and family.
“I will stay with my brother in Kyoto, it’s the only time I get to see him and I’m looking forward to it. It will be good to be back in Japan,” Demuro added.
