Perifania (R6 Nakayama, 2YO Newcomer, 1600m, December 25)

The trainer-jockey combination that produced 2021 Arima Kinen winner Efforia has revealed his impressive younger half-sister on the undercard 12 months later. 

Yuichi Shikato and Takeshi Yokoyama have high hopes for Perifania after she won her 1600m Newcomer by two lengths as a dominant 1.4 favourite. 

“It may be fate for me to ride her,” said Yokayama, who pointed to the way the filly was able to overcome some early interference as a positive for the Classics prospect.

“Temperament will be the key for her performance and it was good in racing. We were affected in the first corner of the race but she picked up again and won the race.” 

Perifania is the 22nd individual two-year-old winner for Maurice this season. Shikato’s only other Group 1 winner was Maurice’s sire Screen Hero, who was a 40-1 winner of the 2008 Japan Cup. 

Big Ribbon (R10 Hanshin, Santa Claus Stakes, Class 3 Win, 2000m, December 25)

Mitsumasa Nakauchida’s lightly raced mare Big Ribbon added a new string to her bow when she unleashed an impressive turn-of-foot on her return from a long break. 

The four-year-old, a full sister to the 2017 Kikuka Sho winner Kiseki, has been limited to seven career starts and her best performances have been when she has made a wide run to win. 

A low draw meant jockey David Egan was sweating on a run until late and had to take some evasive action to find clear running with less than 200m to go, but when Big Ribbon was put into open air she did enough to win.

“The stable did a great job to let her race in a good condition,” Egan said after the race. “There was not much space until the last 200 metres, but when we got a little space, she accelerated well. If we got the run earlier, I think we would have won easily. She is a very good horse.” 

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