Admire Moon hung on to beat strong-charging Pop Rock in a photo finish to win the $4.4 million Japan Cup on Sunday.
Jockey Yasunari Iwata punched the air in delight after steering Admire Moon past the finishing post but had a nervous five-minute wait before stewards confirmed his victory.
The four-year-old colt, best known for winning this year's Dubai Duty Free, won the race in two minutes, 24.7 seconds to take the first prize of $2 million.
Pre-race favourite Meisho Samson finished strongly to take third a neck behind Pop Rock with this year's Japan Derby winner Vodka fourth in Tokyo.
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British entry Papal Bull was the highest place finisher of the four foreign horses among a field of 18 elite thoroughbreds, finishing seventh.