For the first time in the history of the race, the field for the Nov. 24 Japan Cup in Association with Longines (G1) will go to the gate without a foreign runner.
The final potential invader for the race, Prince of Arran, was ruled out by trainer Charlie Fellowes when Japanese racing officials disallowed the use of a stalls blanket, used to help load horses with an aversion to the confines of the starting gate.
"He hates the feel of the metal stalls against his flanks," Fellowes told BloodHorse Nov. 12. "He gets quite upset. The blanket totally prevents the issue."
Fellowes said it "never crossed my mind that we wouldn't be allowed to use the blanket in Japan. Thank goodness, we checked before we went over there. It's quite understandable they weren't going to change the rules at the last moment, although I don't believe they really understood how the blanket would work."
Prince of Arran, a 6-year-old Shirocco gelding, was placed second in the Nov. 5 Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1), elevated from third by a stewards' ruling. Fellowes was enthusiastic immediately after the Australian race about going to Japan with his stable star.
"Now we're heading for Hong Kong instead," he said in reference to the Dec. 8 Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1)—a race in which Prince of Arran finished eighth last year from an outside draw. Fellowes is also eyeing the $2.5 million, 1 7/8-mile turf race on the Feb. 29 undercard of the inaugural Saudi Cup in Riyadh.
Despite the absence of invaders in the Japan Cup, the strength of Japanese racing ensures a solid field. It also should be a competitive bunch, given the decision to send last year's winner, Almond Eye, to the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) at Sha Tin rather than seek a repeat victory at Tokyo Racecourse.
The Japan Cup has hosted a steady stream of international stars since its inaugural running in 1981. Winners have come from the United States, Ireland, England, France, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, and Germany.
The roster of winners includes Falbrav, Pilsudski, and Singspiel. Golden Pheasant won the Arlington Million (G1T) in 1990 and the Japan Cup in 1991 with Gary Stevens riding for trainer Charlie Whittingham.
In recent years, however, the tide has turned dramatically in favor of local runners. The last foreign-trained winner was Alkaased, trained by Luca Cumani and booted home by Frankie Dettori in 2005.
The Japan Racing Association aggressively pursues foreign competition for many of its biggest races, with an emphasis on the Japan Cup. In addition to the $5.6 million purse—with $2.6 million going to the winner—a bonus system offers an additional $2 million to a horse winning the Japan Cup who won any of 24 designated races around the world in the same year.