Trip To Paris unplaced as Shonan Pandora wins the Japan Cup

Trip To Paris finished down the field as Shonan Pandora claimed the honours in a thrilling finish to the Japan Cup at Tokyo racecourse.

The Ed Dunlop-trained Trip To Paris was ridden by Tommy Berry as he dropped back to 12 furlongs for the Grade One heat after finishing fourth in the Melbourne Cup last time out.

Drawn in stall two, Berry stuck to the rail through the early stages as Curren Mirotic set the early gallop, opening up a clear lead which only really began to diminish turning into the straight.

Berry had worked his way off the rail by this time, swinging wide on the turn for home before launching his challenge down the middle of the track.

However, the four-year-old did not quite have the turn of foot to go with the principles as favourite Lovely Day hit the front a furlong and a half out before Ryan Moore began to stoke up his mount Last Impact, who is trained by Hiroyoshi Matsuda, on the inside.

Moore hit the front inside the distance, however Kenichi Ikezoe swooped in the final strides aboard the Tomokazu Takano-trained Shonan Pandora to just edge the win in a photo.

Lovely Day stuck on for third with Jungle Cruise fourth and Trip To Paris eventually finishing 14th.

French-trained runner Erupt featured in the early exchanges but faded into sixth while German runners Ito and Nightflower failed to make their presence felt.

Dunlop is now planning to give Trip To Paris a winter break as he believes his charge had felt the effects of a long campaign. He said: "We were a long way back, which is surprising with the good draw. He looks like he had one race too many this season. He didn't have the same spark as he had in Australia. "He'll have a holiday now but he will be in training next year." Francis-Henri Graffard felt Erupt just failed to find the necessary extra in the dying strides. He said "He was good out of the gate and positioned nicely, he was in striking distance and had a smooth trip up to the last corner where he was unable to secure a clear run and got blocked by the horses in front that fell back. "He showed good acceleration briefly but couldn't give any more in the last 100 meters." Nightflower's rider Andrasch Starke admitted his disappointment in finishing 11th. He said: "We were able to race her on the inside as planned but we got pinched back at the last turn and couldn't find a clear space for the run. We were very disappointed with the result." German raider Ito eventually finished last with jockey Filip Minarik commenting: "We didn't get the lead - that was the big problem for him and we got badly checked after one furlong to go from the outside. "He dropped the bit and never traveled, never finished and gave up everything. He is a good horse, but now you can see how good Ivanhowe was."