Japan can’t sign off with a victory in Tokyo’s Japan Cup

Aidan O’Brien’s Japan failed to secure a perfect career finale in Tokyo on Sunday morning ahead of starting his future stud career in Germany next year.

The dual-Group One winning star has been purchased to stand as stallion at the Gestut Etzean farm in Germany and finished his racing career with an eighth place finish in the $3 million Japan Cup.

The local favourite Contrail ended his own career with a smooth victory in Japanese racing’s biggest international prize, beating his compatriot Authority by two lengths.

Japan fared better than his Ballydoyle stable companion Broome who struggled home 11th of the 18 runners.

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O’Brien was represented in Tokyo by Pat Keating who reported: “The track may have been a bit too fast for Japan. He was able to secure a good spot but wasn’t able to keep up with the pace.

“Broome missed the break and that cost him.”

Japan won both the Juddmonte International and Grand Prix de Paris as a three year old in 2019.

He landed both the Ormonde Stakes at Chester and Leopardstown’s Meld Stakes from eight starts this season.