Trading Leather In Good Form For Cup

TRADING LEATHER IN “GOOD FORM” FOR CUP 
Last year’s G1 Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was the subject of a positive report from Pat O’Donovan, assistant to trainer Jim Bolger, after the 4-year-old put in some light exercise over the Tokyo dirt course yesterday in preparation for Sunday’s G1 Japan Cup. 

“He just stretched his legs this morning and he did a right-handed jog just to let him see his new environment,” O’Donovan explained. “He’s in good form and he’s moving well.” 

Trading Leather has not seen the winner’s circle since his Classic score last June, but he has been placed in a number of Europe’s most important races in the interim. The Godolphin colorbearer has run just four times this year, most recently finishing third in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown Sept. 13. 

“He was trained specifically for this race,” O’Donovan added. “He’s had a light season and since his last start in September, he regularly did some fast work once a week. He’s had his fast work done and he was very fit coming here, so all we want to do is maintain his fitness.” 

Canadian raider Up With The Birds (Stormy Atlantic) enjoyed an easy morning yesterday after galloping Sunday. 
“The gallop yesterday was very easy and quiet,” said Mark Ramsammy, assistant to trainer Malcolm Pierce. “He came out of it very well and he’s in very good condition. We just wanted to let him stretch his legs–not do too much, and he won’t do any more fast work until the race.” 

Up With The Birds, Canada’s Horse of the Year of 2013, won last year’s GI Jamaica H. and added the GII Nijinsky S. in July. The Sam-Son Farm homebred was most recently second in the GIII Knickerbocker S. Oct. 11.