FIRM ground and a fresh horse are the vital factors that could put Hong Kong hero Indigenous under the world spotlight in Tokyo today.
Trainer Ivan Allan has no illusions as his Irish-bred Horse Of The Year lines up against some of the best in the world in the Group One Japan Cup, penultimate leg of the World Series Racing Championship.
'He is fresh, the freshest horse in the race and that means a lot. He also has no problems at all going left-handed and on the prevailing ground which will be against a few of them.
'I don't think we are fooling ourselves about the magnitude of the task but the horse is very well and we are going into this in a positive frame of mind,' said Allan.
Japan's Special Week has emerged as the favourite over French and Irish Derby winner Montjeu.
Special Week equalled local racing history earlier this year by becoming the second horse to win both ends of Japan's Tenno Sho (Emperor's Cup) with victories in the 3,200-metre, weight-for-age Spring Tenno Sho and the 2,000-metre, weight-for-age Autumn Tenno Sho.