Long-serving Japanese trainer Hideyuki Takaoka has closed up shop after 21 years plying his trade at Kranji.
Takaoka’s name is the latest on the growing list of participants absent on race day, joining the likes of Michael Clements, Louis-Philippe Beuzelin, Shafrizal Saleh, Bernardo Pinheiro to have quit Kranji.
The difference with Takaoka’s case, however, is that the 67-year-old was always going to be retiring in 2023; in fact, he was due to call it a day in June this year and handover the business to his assistant-trainer, Ryo Hatano. But with the announcement of racing in Sinagpore’s closure, it forced Takaoka to stay on.
“It was always my plan to stop training in June 2023. I was supposed to hand over to Ryo,” Takaoka said in an article published my Mike Lee for the The New Paper.
“But, when the announcement came, it upset all our plans. Ryo could not train for only one year.
“I couldn’t just stop either, who would look after the horses? So I stayed for another five months.”
Finishing up on the recent Singapore Gold Cup meeting on Nov 11, Takaoka retires with a remarkable total of 16 Group wins, with 10 at the Group 1 level. His achievements are highlighted by being one of the most successful Singapore Gold Cup-winning trainers, with El Dorado winning it three times (2008, 2009, and 2011) and Better Life in 2012 to make it four Cups.
Jolie’s Shinju winning all legs of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge in 2009 also put Takaoka on the map, while clinching victory in the Singapore Derby three times earned him a reputation as being one of the best big-race trainers at Kranji. Makanani winning the 2019 Raffles Cup was Takaoka’s most recent trophy success.
“I’m very happy with my Singapore career, but the last three years have been disappointing. We could do nothing about Covid-19, but that Singapore racing closure has killed us.
“Yes, I was leaving already, but what about those who are still in the game? Especially the young, like Ryo – all gone.’
