OYAJI POWER PART 2: TAKAYUKI ISHIZAKI 
Having looked at TCK's golden oldie, Fumio Matoba, this second installment of "Oyaji Power" looks at Funabashi's equivalent - and another of Louis' heroes - Takayuki Ishizaki.

Born in Hokkaido in January 1956, Ishizaki-san got his jockey licence in July 1973. He won his first race in the following month - the first of 6181 to date in NAR (a 17.7% win rate), and no less than 74 in JRA.

Unusually, his riding record covers the whole of Japan, not just Minami-Kanto, and there was a time when he was called up for JRA duty almost every weekend. From 1990 to 2002 inclusive, he was awarded NAR's jockey of the year prize, which is a truly remarkable achievement.

Now 56 (like Matoba-san), one wonders how long he can keep going, but I saw him win in convincing style in the week, so there's still plenty left in the tank by the looks of things. Whatever happens in the next couple of years, the pride attached to the family name is sure to continue at Funabashi with his son, Shun, riding there alongside his father...