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ASED at Ritto Training Centre near Kyoto, Ikee currently occupies the top spot in the trainer’s championship by prize money and lies second in terms of winners. Now one of the stars of Japanese racing, it was only by chance that his family became involved.
YASUTOSHI IKEE
“My grandfather was a barber, so we don’t come from a racing family,” Ikee explains, before adding, “When my father Yasuo was at junior school, his teacher said to him that he should become a jockey because of his size.” And so started the dynasty. Ikee senior began his new career in the saddle in 1959, which spanned 20 years. During this time, he won 368 races, including 17 at stakes level, and was known universally as “front running Ikee” for his style of riding. After hanging up his boots, Yasuo then became a trainer, going on to handle the careers of several Group 1 winners, including Japanese Horse of the Year and young sire sensation Deep Impact. Growing up, Ikee junior dreamt of becoming a jockey. With so much in common,
he became great friends with Yutaka Take, who attended pre-school with him, and later rode for his father. Much to Yasutoshi’s disappointment, this career choice was never to materialise. “I always knew right from the start that I was going to be involved in racing. I wanted to start by riding in races, but I quickly became too tall, so that went out of the window.” As a result, Ikee then trod the path to becoming a trainer. After spending some time with Kuniichi Asami, he went to work for Sir Michael in 1996. “I saw a clip of the Warren Hill gallops on television, and asked my father where it was. When he told me, I made up my mind to go and work in Newmarket because racing started in England, and I wanted to see where it all came from.” During his year spent at racing’s headquarters, Ikee worked with the likes of Pilsudski, with whom he experienced his first Arc when taking him to Longchamp. Also in the stable at the time was multiple Group 1 victor Singspiel, as well as the talented filly Whitewater Affair, later the dam of Dubai World Cup winner Victoire Pisa for Japan. The following season, Ikee had a spell in America with Neil Drysdale. “I wanted to see how racing worked in the United States because they train on a round track like we do in Japan. I learnt a lot from him because it was a
Tosen Jordan with trainer Yasutoshi Ikee after winning the Grade 1 Tenno Sho at Tokyo racecourse last September
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