Sir Michael Stoute’s Conduit could only finish a staying on fourth in a thrilling Japan Cup won by Vodka.
The mare became the winning most Group 1 winner in Japan when just holding off the late thrust of Oken Bruce Lee to claim her seventh victory at the highest level by the shortest of short heads.
She had shown an electric turn of foot to take three lengths out of the field entering the straight, but her suspect stamina then began to give way in the final furlong and she only just managed to hand on by a hairs breadth.
Breeders Cup hero Conduit, the 9-4 favourite,had a bad draw out wide and after missing the break his chance had all but gone in a race run at a steady pace. He got tapped for fit as the pace quickened but stayed on well late under Ryan Moore to finish a never nearer fourth.
