Japan Cup Runners 2025: Horse of the Year Calandagan attempts to complete memorable year

18 runners are set to contest the 2025 Japan Cup, the grandest all-age Grade 1 staged in Tokyo on Sunday, 30th November. There will be European interest in the race, and with the continent’s best horse too, as recent Cartier Horse of the Year winner Calandagan travels across the globe to complete a memorable year on the track.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s gelding ended a frustrating run of second-placed efforts in emphatic style this season, winning three straight Group 1s in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the King George at Ascot and the Champion Stakes at the same venue. Those convincing victories saw him crowned Horse of the Year at the recent Cartier awards and Europe could hardly have a stronger horse going over to contend against a nation which dearly loves its racing.

Calandagan was second earlier this year to Danon Decile in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan during the Dubai World Cup weekend. He is one of a number of Japanese-trained horses who may be familiar to British audiences given he came across to contest the Juddmonte International at York, in which he could only manage fifth behind Ombudsman. However, home advantage could make all the difference, as it could for Durezza, a runner in the 2024 Juddmonte International, who finished fifth of 13 in a competitive edition behind City Of Troy.

Other Japanese runners in this race who have run in Europe recently are Japanese Derby winner Croix Du Nord, who was well-held in the Arc, but had beaten that race’s winner Daryz in his prep run and will also be dangerous back in Tokyo. Shin Emperor has previously contested the Arc too in 2024, as well as the Irish Champion Stakes.

The ante-post favourite for the race though is Masquerade Ball, one of just two three-year-olds in the race. Takahisa Tekuza’s charge was second to Croix Du Nord in the Japanese Derby from a wider draw but stepped up to win the Grade 1 Tenno Sho earlier this month which sees him arrive in top form. However, only one three-year-old has won this since 2013, so he and Croix Du Nord will have to break that significant trend.

2025 Japan Cup Runners