Racing: Devious designs on the Japan Cup

DR DEVIOUS, the Derby winner, will compete on a third continent this season when he goes for the Japan Cup next month.

Peter Chapple-Hyam's colt had been expected to to contest the Breeders' Cup Turf in Florida in three weeks' time in an effort to erase the memory of his disappointing effort in the United States when down the field in the Kentucky Derby. But connections now want to give the horse time to recover from the slight injuries he sustained when sixth in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

'He nicked a near hind during the race and, though it is not serious, he will not be running at the Breeders' Cup,' Jane Chapple-Hyam, the trainer's wife, said yesterday. 'We spoke to his owner, Sidney Craig, this morning and agreed to run him in the Japan Cup instead, which will give him seven weeks to recover.'

Dr Devious's appearance in Tokyo sets up a rematch with Clive Brittain's User Friendly, who finished four places ahead of him at Longchamp and who is a possible runner in the Japan Cup.