Yutaka Take partners jumps ace Oju Chosan in world's biggest betting race

Arima Kinen (Grade 1) | 3yo+ | Im4½f Turf | 6.25am GMT (Sunday) | Nakayama

In 2017 Japanese punters placed more than ¥44 billion – around £312 million/€346m – on the outcome of the Arima Kinen, once again making it by some way the world's biggest betting race.

To put that into context, turnover for the most popular contest with punters in Britain and Ireland, the Grand National, was estimated at £200m/€222m this year.

Part of the reason for the Arima Kinen's popularity is that the field is assembled after a public vote, a factor which explains the presence of Oju Chosan in the line-up.

The seven-year-old son of Stay Gold is a three-time winner of Japan's biggest chase, the Nakayama Grand Jump. He warmed up for this very different test on the Flat with victories in relatively lowly conditions events at Fukushima and Tokyo, and it was his huge public following that guaranteed him a place in the end-of-year Grade 1 once connections had announced their intentions.

Trainer Shoichiro Wada has enlisted Yutaka Take and the legendary jockey drew gasps and cheers from an invited audience at Thursday's draw ceremony when picking stall one for Oju Chosan, just as he had a year ago before Kitasan Black made a winning swansong.

"We’re in the spotlight, but it's quite a different feeling from the spotlight on Kitasan Black last year," said 49-year-old Take. "I feel as if the fans’ dreams are on our backs. His strong point is his stamina and I hope the race will bring that out to best effect."

While Oju Chosan's form on the Flat is well below that of most of his rivals, he clocked an impressive 11.33 seconds for the final furlong after sprinting away from the last fence in the Grand Jump in April.

Christophe Lemaire has cast a long shadow over the Japanese autumn, thanks in no small part to Almond Eye completing the fillies' Triple Crown and then landing the Japan Cup in record time.

Lemaire maintains his partnership with likely favourite Rey De Oro, who put a disappointing outing in the Dubai Sheema Classic behind him when landing the Grade 1 Tenno Sho Autumn last time.

Comparing the two, Lemaire said: "Almond Eye is like a Ferrari, this horse is like a Land Rover. He’s strong and can keep giving you more in the stretch. He’s like a fast four-wheel drive."

Almond Eye is taking a well-deserved break ahead of a proposed trip to Dubai but Japan Cup pacesetter and runner-up Kiseki is back for more under Yuga Kawada, while Hugh Bowman is back aboard fourth-placed Cheval Grand after missing last month's Tokyo showpiece through a suspension incurred in the Melbourne Cup.

Oisin Murphy is interviewed during the draw ceremony for the Arima Kinen, in which he will ride Mikki RocketCredit: JRA / Fuji TV

Oisin Murphy will bid to cap a memorable 2018 aboard Takarazuka Kinen winner Mikki Rocket, who will break from stall 11.

Murphy scored his first JRA success at Nakayama last Sunday and has been snapped up by trainer Hidetaka Otonashi. Mikki Rocket was a close-up fifth in the Tenno Sho Autumn last time.

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