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Cafe Pharoah, who had been Japan’s number one challenger for the Dubai World Cup, has been ruled out of the $12 million race.

The colt became the first son of US Triple Crown winner American Pharoah to win a G1 race on the JRA circuit when he captured the February Stakes last month under Christophe Lemaire, the first G1 of the year in Japan.

However his connections have declined the invitation for Cafe Pharoah, who has instead been turned out to graze. He will now be considered for domestic G1 targets in May and June, the Kashiwa Kinen and Teio Sho.

He had been as low as 9-1 with Ladbrokes for the World Cup on March 27 in which Chuwa Wizard still carries Japanese hopes.