Dubai: Irish-trained Trading Leather must defy history and overcome a wide barrier draw in order to give Godolphin a long-sought after maiden victory in the Grade 1 Japan Cup, the most prestigious horse race run in Japan and worth a staggering JPY 528,500,000 (Dh4,467,800).

Foreign horses have only delivered two top three finishers over the last 10 years with the last overseas winner of the 2,400 metre contest which is run at Tokyo Racecourse, being the Luca Cumani-trained Alkaased, who triumphed in 2005.

Although legendary Irish handler Jim Bolger heads into Sunday’s race, buoyed by positive prep reports he has received from his work rider, traditionally it is seen as difficult to win an 18-runner event from an unfavourable outside gate.

However Bolger, who has trained 35 Group 1 winners in 23 years, told the Godolphin website: “Trading Leather is very well.

“Everything has gone well with his preparation — he travelled to Japan very well and is in great form.

“The ground will be good and we will be happy with that.”

Kevin Manning, who has ridden the four-year-old colt in all of his 15 starts, added: “Trading Leather has taken everything very, very well and we’re very happy with him.

“He’s settled in and I was very pleased with how he moved and looked on Friday morning.”

Trading Leather was bred by Bolger, who also bred and raced his sire Teofilo. And like Teofilo and Bolger’s other great horses, New Approach and his son Dawn Approach, Trading Leather was sold to Godolphin, the Dubai-owned racing stable created by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Godolphin have won most of the major races around the world but the jigsaw is still missing crucial races such as the Japan Cup, Breeders Cup (G1), Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Melbourne Cup (G1).

Shaikh Mohammad, the driving force behind the stable, is also indivudally represented by Decipher who is runs in the Darley Japan KK colours.

A son of Japanese superstar Deep Impact and Mizna (Dubai Millennium), Decipher has won six of 24 starts for trainer Futoshi Kojima who in 2002 win the Japan Cup Dirt (Grade 1) with Eagle Cafe.

Decipher earned his ticket to the Japan Cup with a hard-earned neck victory in the Epsom Cup (G3) at Tokyo Racecourse in June.

He will be ridden by French jockey Gregory Benoist who said: “He’s really an easy horse to ride. He listens to what I say and moves when given the go-ahead signal.

“In fast work, he was relaxed and I think that perhaps 2,400 meters may be even better for him than what he’s gotten up until now.

“Until now, whenever I’d come to Japan, there had been no horse for me in the Japan Cup, so I am thrilled now. I feel like it’s a real present for me to be able to ride. He’s in good shape and I think he’ll give me a good race. I think he has a chance going into the race in this kind of shape.”

Both Trading Leather and Decipher face a formidable team of challengers led by Gentildonna, who has won the last two renewals of the Japan Cup, Grade One Oka Sho heroine Harp Star, Group 1 Dubai Duty Free winner Just A Way and Grade 2 Tenno Sho victor Spielberg.