Karasi’s three Nakayama Grand Jumps

April 14 2007

April 15 2006

April 16 2005

Karasi was originally trained in England by Sir Michael Stoute, where he won three of nine starts on the flat, prior to being transferred to David Hall in Australia.

Here the horse ran second in an Adelaide Cup, third in a Brisbane Cup, won the 2001 Geelong Cup, and ran fourth behind Etheral in the Melbourne Cup of that year.

In the next 18 months the horse’s form tailed off and he was purchased by Eric Musgrove in May 2003, set for the jumps.

During the next two years Karasi won five hurdle races in South Australia, including the Yalumba Hurdle at Oakbank and the SA Grand National Hurdle.

His best success came in the 2004 Australian Hurdle, where Brett Scott guided him to a narrow victory over Team Heritage.

In his sole steeplechase start in Australia, Karasi ran third in the Hiskens Steeplechase that season.

But the connections, knowing the horse handled firm going, had their sights on the big international steeplechase at Nakayama in Tokyo, and its huge prize of more than $1 million to the winner.

St Steven, trained by John Wheeler, had won the race in 2002.

In the early months of 2005, Karasi embarked on the long journey to Tokyo, via Hong Kong. He travelled well and his connections were heartened when he ran third in the $430,000 Pegasus Jump, as a prelude to the big Nakayama race.

Part-owner Pearse Morgan said, “It was a big adventure going to the northern hemisphere, but the horse was helped by the previous experience Eric Musgrove had of transporting showjumpers internationally. And the horse arrived in wonderful condition.

"We weren’t sure how he'd take to the bigger fences in Japan initially but after the run in the Pegasus race we were quietly confident in the big race.”

The horse went on to beat the best Japanese steeplechasers over the next three years, winning the 2007 race as a 12-year-old.

Rider Brett Scott said: “In Australia, Karasi wasn't the greatest jumper over hurdles, but he thrived on pressure.

“In Japan, he was totally suited to the high cruising speed in the races there, where he could sustain the pressure on the other runners. He handled the variety of jumps well. Even though he was a small horse, he jumped economically.“

As a 13-year-old Karasi was being prepared for a fourth tilt at the big race, but a leg injury at an advanced stage of his preparation led to his retirement.

Subsequently, Karasi was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, and finishes as the highest Australian stake-earning jumper ever, a title that will almost certainly never be eclipsed.