The shock scratching of fan favourite Do Deuce from Sunday’s Group One Arima Kinen (2,500m) has thrown one of Japan’s biggest races wide open.

One of two Japanese races for which the field is elected in part by racing fans, the Arima Kinen was to be headlined by Do Deuce, who attracted a record 478,415 votes.

But the five-time Group One winner was withdrawn on Friday with lameness in his right foreleg. His retirement ceremony scheduled for Sunday was cancelled and he will now be off to stud.

Urban Chic will be a popular pick after Do Deuce’s withdrawal, with top jockey Christophe Lemaire bidding for a fourth Arima Kinen success when he rides the quality colt.

Urban Chic scored his first feature victory in the Group Two Asahi Hai St Lite Kinen (2,200m) in September and is fresh from a dominant last-start triumph in the Group One Japanese St Leger (3,000m).

“Urban Chic has improved a great deal from the fall,” Lemaire said. “He has matured and was much more powerful in the Kikuka Sho [Japanese St Leger] and won strongly. I think he’ll do well here. I’ve won the Kikuka Sho and the Arima Kinen with a three-year-old before, Satono Diamond.

“I’m hoping to ride him similarly to the Kikuka Sho. His start isn’t the fastest, so I think we’ll race from further back. I’m thinking of a quiet first lap, then moving up from the back.

“Though he is still young, he has fantastic ability, so I have my hopes up.”

Another three-year-old, Danon Decile, also rates highly after winning the Group One Japanese Derby (2,400m) by two lengths in May.

He is expected to improve significantly from his first-up sixth behind Urban Chic in the Japanese St Leger.

“This will be his first time facing older horses, and with the high calibre of the others, it’s going to likely be the toughest race he’s experienced so far,” trainer Shogo Yasuda said.

“Of course, I’ve tried to prepare him in such a way that he’ll be able to handle it.

“He has stamina and can run at a good speed for distance, but I can’t say how well he’ll do if the race is determined by who has the fastest late speed.

“There will be new speeds and new paces for him to experience. I hope he can adapt, but with an eye to the future, I mostly hope it’ll be a good experience for him.”

One contender who will be familiar to Hong Kong punters is Prognosis, a two-time runner-up in the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin behind Romantic Warrior.

He makes his return to Japan after running second to Via Sistina in the Group One Cox Plate (2,040m) in Australia in October.

“He returned to the training centre from the farm on December 3 and even though there wasn’t much time between races, things have gone smoothly,” assistant trainer Taku Fukunaga said.

“Since it’s his first start since returning from overseas, we’ll be doing our best to get him to the gate in the best shape we can.”

The Jockey Club will simulcast the Arima Kinen between races four and five at Sha Tin on Sunday.