Four-year-old Transcend threw down the gauntlet to Espoir City as the favorite went wire-to-wire to capture the Japan Cup Dirt on Sunday for his first Grade 1 title.
Without defending champion Espoir City, the reigning dirt horse of the year in Japan, Transcend held off a field of 16 to win the 1,800-meter contest at Hanshin Racecourse in 1 minute, 48.9 seconds over eighth choice Glorious Noah by a nose.
Eleventh pick Admire Subaru came in third another length and a quarter behind.