Nakayama Festa came within centimeters of realizing the dream of the Japanese racing fraternity on Sunday, the Takarazuka Kinen champion finishing a narrow second to Britain's Workforce in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The 4-year-old Nakayama Festa, ridden by Masayoshi Ebina and trained by Yoshitaka Ninomiya, had the lead halfway through the final straight in the world's most prestigious race at the Longchamp track.
But Nakayama Festa, racing under a punishing 59.5 kg, gradually gave in to the 3-year-old Workforce — the Epsom Derby winner trained by Sir Michael Stoute shouldering only 56 kg — and went under the wire a head behind.