By Barbara Bayer

Symboli Kris S continues to be touted as tops by the Japanese press with Jungle Pocket surging into the headlines following his workout yesterday at the Ritto Training Centre. Jungle Pocket, winner of last year's Japan Cup is paired with Japanese star jockey Yutaka Take this year. The 4yo worked sharply up the hill twice yesterday clocking 51.1 and 52.4 seconds over 800m of wood chip.

Jungle Pocket is taking on the Japan Cup following seven months off. ''He's looking really good,'' said a very satisfied trainer Sakae Watanabe. ''He's put on muscle and is looking very supple,'' he added. Though it was the first long spell for Jungle Pocket and he previously has failed to turn in better than a second or third-place finish following shorter spells of about three months, Watanabe was unconcerned. ''He has never been in condition this good,'' he said.

Symboli Kris S breezed over 1000m on the woodchip course at the Miho Training Centre under jockey Yukio Okabe, who rode the colt to victory in the Tenno Sho. ''It was a good piece of work,'' Okabe said. ''He's coming along well and we have no worries.'' Symboli Kris S clocked 12.9 seconds over the last 200m and 65.8 over the entire 1000m. ''The time was a bit slow but we've raced him twice this fall, so that's to be expected. He's running well and relaxed,'' Fujisawa commented. Olivier Peslier will take the reins on the probable favorite in the Cup.

The 4yo filly T.M. Ocean was taken over dirt at Miho, turning in a 67.5 second 1000m gallop which she wrapped up in 12.4 seconds. ''She's much more responsive than last week,'' said jockey Masaru Honda. ''We're expecting a good race.''

At Nakayama, all foreign-based contenders for the Japan Cup turned out for their morning paces and exercise rider Delphine Carles took out French hope Bright Sky out in an easy canter over dirt. Owner Alec Wildenstein was on hand for the work at Nakayama. ''She looks very well in herself,'' he said after watching the filly do an easy canter on the turf. ''We're very pleased with her. She has travelled well and she has eaten well.'' As to what he thought their chances were, Wildenstein replied confidently: ''Whoever finishes in front of us will win.''

The Wildenstein family's 3yo filly All Along missed out on the Japan Cup some 20 years ago by a nose. Though one cannot compare ''good'' fillies with ''great'' fillies, Wildenstein said: ''We have raced here three times before and twice had very close seconds. It has always been our dream to win this race and we thought the right-handed track this year would suit this filly.'' Translating for trainer Elie Lellouche, Wildenstein said: ''We'll probably just canter tomorrow. She doesn't need any more work.''

US raider Sarafan worked rather phlegmatically up the straight over turf. Trainer Neil Drysdale, however, expressed his satisfaction with the horse's work. ''He has travelled very well. He carries a lot of weight. This morning he just did an open gallop and we'll probably do the same thing again tomorrow just to familiarize him with the race course.'' Drysdale says Sarafan is best suited to 2000m but ''Nakayama is a turning track with a short stretch and I think he'll end the distance easily.''

A very happy-looking Indigenous was allowed to gallop over turf. The Hong Kong hopeful is said to be eating and feeling well. ''He travelled very well today. He hadn't galloped in a long time as he wasn't able to let out at the Shiroi track, which is very small,'' said rider So Wai-yin. Trainer Ivan Allan, he said, had given the go-ahead to breeze fast today.

Golan also opened up a bit over turf looking well on his first time out on the Nakayama course. Rider Roy Carter said he was pleased with the 4yo. ''He has travelled well and looks well,'' Carter said. Groom James Scott agreed: ''He seemed to be enjoying himself." Jockey Kieren Fallon, who was on hand for work but did not ride, likened the Nakayama track to Ascot, over which Golan won the King George this year. ''I don't see a problem. Hopefully we'll get a good draw.'' Fallon described Golan as a ''very intelligent, very laid-back horse.'' He added: ''Other than Kazuo Fujisawa's horse, I'd be pretty confident. I think Symboli Kris S will be very hard to beat.'' Trainer Michael Stoute is scheduled to arrive in Japan this afternoon.

The English runner Storming Home did an easy canter over turf as did Ireland's Irresistible Jewel. Storming Home's rider Geoffrey Snook said the 4yo had arrived in Japan ''very, very tired, but after a couple days' rest was back.'' Snook said they had given the horse long steady canters. ''I don't think he needs a lot of fast work. Michael Hills arrives tomorrow and maybe he'll give him a good blow out.''

Finally, Hong Kong's representative in the Japan Cup Dirt, Red Sun, cantered for 1000m¡@on the dirt track under So Wai-yin, his exercise rider. ¡§There is no problem with the Japanese dirt track for him," his trainer Tony Cruz later remarked. "He is a real dirt horse, winning dirt races in Argentina and I know his sire Equalize liked the dirt, too. I hope the pace is fast and he can sit in second or third position. His condition is good and he is eating up very well now. If he wins on Saturday, I will think about going to Dubai with him next year."