Two of the international invitees Up With The Birds and Trading Leather have arrived in Japan ahead of the Japan Cup in Tokyo on November 30.

Up With The Birds, Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2013, landed on Sunday and was transported to the quarantine facilities at the JRA Horse Racing School in Shiroi.

Last year’s G1 Irish Derby winner Trading Leather landed early on Monday morning.

Mark Ramsammy, assistant to trainer Malcolm Pierce, reported that Up With The Birds had handled the flight well.

“He seems to be over the long trip. He didn’t show any signs of fatigue and is in good shape.”

Up With The Birds won last year’s GI Jamaica Handicap and the Breeders Stakes, the third leg of Canada’s Triple Crown.

The highlight of his campaign in three starts this year was a victory in the G2 Nijinsky Stakes in July prior to his last start second in the G3 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont on October 11.

Gerard Flynn, assistant to Trading Leather’s trainer Jim Bolger, accompanied the Derby winner on his 23-hour trip from his base in Ireland.

Godolphin’s Trading Leather has not won in seven outings since the Irish Derby but he has been placed in five G1 races including a second in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

The other overseas runner is the German galloper Ivanhowe, winner of the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden.

Heading the local hopes is star 3YO filly Harp Star and G1 Dubai Duty Free winner Just A Way, who finished sixth and eighth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp last month.

They will be joined by Tenno Sho (Autumn) winner Spielberg, Japanese 2000 Guineas winner Isla Bonita; Japanese St Leger winner Epiphaneia and the champion mare Gentildonna, who created history last year by becoming the first horse to win two Japan Cups.