The legendary Yutaka Take coxed last season's Japanese St Leger winner Kitasan Black to the narrowest of wins in Sunday's Group 1 Tenno Sho (Spring) (3200m) at Kyoto Racecourse.
Rated to perfection in front, the Hisashi Shimizu trained 4yo held the challenge of Curren Mirotic (Heart's Cry) by a nose with Cheval Grand (Heart's Cry) third.
Hugh Bowman's mount Fame Game, who finished sixth as favourite in last year's Melbourne Cup, came from last to finish eighth.
Kitasan Black was on Racing Victoria's Leigh Jordon's shortlist for this year's Melbourne Cup but that may be a long shot now.
By Deep Impact's a year-older full-brother Black Tide (Sunday Silence), Kitasan Black is the third foal and third winner out of the unraced Sugar Heart (Sakura Bakushin O).
His granddam Otome Gokoro (Judge Angelucci) is a half-sister to Grade placed and overachieving California-based stallion Cee's Tizzy (Relaunch), the sire of dual Breeders' Cup Classic winner Tiznow.
