Over 4 million votes have decided the field for the JRA’s penultimate Grade 1 contest of 2023, the Arima Kinen.

The line-up for the contest, which takes place on December 24 at Nakayama Racecourse, is largely decided by fan vote, with the JRA announcing earlier this month that an impressive 4,075,363 votes had been cast to select runners for Sunday’s edition of the race.

Top-voted Equinox, who received 342,637 votes, has recently been retired to stud following his dominant Japan Cup victory, whilst second finisher Liberty Island, with 327,184 votes, is enjoying a winter holiday following her second-place finish in the race.

Sunday’s contest will likely see three winners of the Tokyo Yushun (Japan Derby) line up against each other, with 2023 champion Tastiera meeting both the 2022 winner Do Deuce and 2021 victor Shahryar. Globetrotting Shahryar finished third behind Auguste Rodin and Up To The Mark in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last month, but was subsequently withdrawn from the Hong Kong Vase prior to declarations.

After finishing third place in the fan vote, the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Spring) winner and Tenno Sho (Autumn) runner-up Justin Palace is aiming towards Sunday’s contest, and also looks to meet Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) winner Sol Oriens, two-time Grade 1 winner Stars on Earth and Through Seven Seas, who will make her first appearance back on Japanese soil since finishing fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The race will also be a racecourse swansong for Titleholder, who received 246,436 fan votes, as the three-time Grade 1 winner will retire after the race, with a racecourse retirement ceremony to be held at a later date.

Last year’s edition of the race was taken out by Equinox, whilst Australian racing fans will also remember the 2019 contest for Lys Gracieux’s win back on home soil after her Cox Plate victory.

by Olivia Kold,   @OKThenOlivia