[3][4] Marvelous Crown's dam Maurita was a New Zealand-bred mare who won the New Zealand Oaks in 1982 and also produced the Hollywood Turf Handicap-winner Grand Flotilla.

On his final appearance of the season he was moved up in class and distance for the Grade II Naruo Kinen over 2500 metres at Hanshin on 11 December and finished second of the sixteen runners behind Roubles Act.

Later in spring he finished second to North Flight in the Yomiuri Milers Cup at Chukyo Racecourse, sixth in the Sankei Osaka Hai and second to Golden Hour in the Niigata Daishoten.

The thirteenth running of the Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse saw four Japanese-trained horses face ten challengers from abroad in front of 165,930 spectators.

[8] The North American challenge comprised Sandpit (the 7/2 favourite), Paradise Creek, Fraise, Grand Flotilla (Marvelous Crown's older half-brother) and Johann Quatz (winner of the Prix Lupin when trained in France).

The European contingent comprised Hernando, Apple Tree (Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Coronation Cup) and Raintrap (Canadian International Stakes).

Sandpit went to the front in the early stages and established a clear lead as Minai settled Marvelous Crown on the inside in third place alongside Johann Quatz and Fujiyama Kenzan.