Anne Marie Duff

THE three European challengers for the Japan Cup worked this week, amid snowy scenes, for tomorrow’s Group 1 contest.

A full field of 17 horses will line up for the big event at Tokyo Racecourse, the richest horse race in Japan and worth 624 million yen. Japanese runners have won the last 10 runnings.

France once again fields Erupt, and Germany has two runners - Iquitos and Nightflower, the latter looking to better her 11th-place finish of last year. Erupt has been placed in three of his five starts this year and he won the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine.

Iquitos captured the Grade 1 Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden in September, with Nightflower running second. Nightflower is coming off a win of the Group 1 Preis von Europa at Cologne, in which Iquitos ran fifth.

The four-year-old Kitasan Black is the favourite, having won the Tenno Sho (Spring), and is partnered by veteran rider Yutake Take.

The home defence is boosted by Grade 1 Dubai Turf winner Real Steel, second to top miler Maurice last time in the 10-furlong Tenno Sho (Autumn). Ryan Moore rides again.

Three-year-old Dee Majesty won the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), was third in the Tokyo Yushun (Derby) and fourth in the Kikuka Sho (St Leger) last time. Gold Actor won the Group 1 Arima Kinen earlier this year.