Moscow Express is the only horse from Ireland to be invited for the inaugural Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan on April 15th, it was revealed today.
Stage Affair, Hill Society and His Song are reserves for the two-and-a-half-mile contest which carries 152 million yen (£836,000) in added prize money..
Celibate and The Outback Way will represent Britain and the pair have been confirmed on course.
"Celibate is definitely going to Japan," said trainer Charlie Mann. "I haven't got a jockey yet but I've spoken to 'AP' (Tony McCoy) about it and he is a possibility. First of all you need a jockey who can do 9st 13lb."
Celibate, second to Rockforce in a Grade One event at Ascot earlier this month, will warm up for the Japanese race at the Cheltenham Festival.
"He has come out of the Ascot race brilliantly - as fresh as a daisy - but he gets very stuffy these days and will probably go to Cheltenham although I'm not sure what in yet," said his trainer.
The nine-year-old has been placed several times without winning this season and Mann added: "He breaks my heart and deserves a win. He's won £40,000 this time and he hasn't won a race."
Mann is not too concerned about the long journey and the unusual nature of the Nakayama track, which includes steep descents and climbs.
He said: "I think the race will suit him. He's raced on the Flat so he's been through the stalls and he loves travelling. He will go over on April 2nd.
"He jumps well, he goes down a hill and up a hill and is easy to place in a race."
The Outback Way, winner of the Murphy's Gold Cup at Cheltenham last November, will also have a prep-race at next month's Festival.
"The plan is to run him in Japan with Norman (Williamson) riding," said trainer Venetia Williams.
"He'll have a run at Cheltenham beforehand in the Queen Mother and then if all goes well he'll go to Japan a fortnight before the race."
Conditions in Japan should suit The Outback Way, who has run his best races on a sound surface, and Miss Williams explained: "That was the idea behind entering him. It's no good sending a soft-ground horse.
"I hope the track will suit him as he runs well at Cheltenham and that has a few ups and downs."
Miss Williams is also responsible for Bellator and Lake Kariba, two of the three British reserves along with the Philip Hobbs-trained Stormy Passage.
