A heated debate erupted among horse racing fans following a 5channel (5ch) thread posted on November 21, 2025. Trainer Nobuyuki Hori of Miho’s Hori Stable unleashed scathing criticism, labeling Damian Lane’s ride aboard Tastiera (colt, 5 years old, sire Satono Crown) in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) 2025 as an “unskilled ride.”

This thread quickly gained traction, accumulating 61 posts and an average of 60.9 comments per hour. The vibrant discussion has brought to light various perspectives on the race’s context, the jockey’s decisions, and the surrounding circumstances.

Tastiera and Damian Lane’s Performance in the Tenno Sho (Autumn)

Having finished 8th in his previous start, the Tenno Sho (Autumn), Tastiera was put through a rigorous workout on the W course in preparation for the Japan Cup. In a combined training session with Danon Beluga, Tastiera started a length ahead and effortlessly finished half a length in front, maintaining a comfortable pace while his partner was ridden hard. Clocking an excellent 5 furlongs in 65.4 seconds, with a final furlong split of 11.5 seconds, the workout demonstrated significant improvement and readiness.

Despite this promising display, Trainer Hori was unsparing in his assessment of the Tenno Sho (Autumn) defeat. “Although it was a slow pace, the primary reason for his loss was making his move and expending too much energy in the fastest part of the race, specifically on an uphill section. Any horse would stop under those circumstances. It’s regrettable to say it was an unskilled ride, but Lane himself immediately came back and said ‘sorry’,” Hori commented. This reveals that Lane acknowledged his own riding error.

The Heart of the Debate: Damian Lane’s Early Move and Christophe Lemaire’s Alleged “Intimidation”

Within the thread, Trainer Hori’s view that Lane’s early move was the cause of defeat was amplified by speculation that this premature acceleration might have been prompted by “intimidation” from jockey Christophe Lemaire.

• “That was the one where Lemaire yelled and intimidated him into moving. Christian was riding, though.” (Post 3)
• “Lemaire yelled, causing him to panic and make his move.” (Post 4)
• “He made his move in a huge rush. If you watch the camera, it looks like Lemaire intimidated him into it lol.” (Post 6)

These comments suggest a possibility that Lemaire’s actions during the race influenced Lane’s decision-making. However, counter-arguments like, “Lemaire has nothing to do with it. It’s about a rookie-like move, making a burst of speed from the bottom of the hill,” (Post 18) indicate a heated and divided discussion.

Further analysis within the thread delves into Lemaire’s riding style. Some users noted, “Lemaire intentionally keeps his horse behind others even into the straight at Tokyo, delaying his move,” (Post 27) and “Lemaire is incredibly strong in middle-to-long distances at Tokyo because he focuses on securing a clear path on the hill and then unleashing his sprint on the flat last 200m.” (Post 49) Conversely, critical opinions emerged, such as, “The trick of him intimidating others to create space when the pace is slow has been exposed,” (Post 53), with some even pointing to Lemaire’s perceived “political influence.”

Did Tastiera “Stop” or Lack “Closing Speed”?

Opinions also diverged regarding Tastiera’s deceleration in the race’s final stages.

• “It looked like a huge slowdown, but his final three furlongs were 33.0 seconds, so he didn’t exactly stop. He just lacked closing speed.” (Post 10)
• “He stopped because Tabaru, who led, passed him, and Tabaru shouldn’t have better closing speed, right?” (Post 13)
• “In a race where 9 horses ran the final furlongs in the 32-second range, 33.0 seconds means he stopped. You can clearly see he stopped if you watch the race; haven’t you seen it?” (Post 19)

These varied perspectives highlight the complexity of race analysis, with some arguing that final three-furlong times alone aren’t conclusive, while others insist the race footage makes it obvious. Trainer Hori’s comments support the view that expending too much energy on the uphill section led to the deceleration, making this a pivotal point of contention.

Trainer-Jockey Dynamics and the Perception of Foreign Jockeys

Trainer Hori’s blunt criticism also sparked discussion about the dynamics between trainers and jockeys, particularly regarding foreign riders. Comments like, “If it were a Japanese jockey, despite apologizing, they’d likely be replaced without question,” (Post 20) and the sarcastic, “‘But since he’s a foreign jockey, it’s overlooked’,” (Post 12) imply a perceived double standard in evaluating foreign jockeys.

Furthermore, one user offered their private opinion on jockey hierarchy within the Hori stable: “Hori’s pecking order: Moore-sama >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Moreira > Lane > King >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lemaire >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Other Japanese jockeys. There’s that much of a difference.” (Post 16)