Race Four: The Juddmonte International - Group One - One Mile, Two Furlongs - Runners:

The centre piece of day one would finally come around and the world's media would stop and pay attention for the next ten minutes as horses took to the stage of one of the most prestigious races in the world; the Juddmonte International. This ten furlong contest has been a highlight of York's calendar since its first running in 1972 and has seen a whole host of iconic names win this race over the decades, but it has become widely recognised as a bona fide champion maker in recent seasons. After Frankel's demolition job in 2012, Baeed's dominance in 2022 and City of Troy's gutsy win in 2024, Ombudsman produced a stunning victory twelve months ago, showing his traditional turn of pace to run away from a brilliant field.

The class of 2026 would once again see a global line up as runners from Britain, Ireland and France all converged on the Knavesmire to do battle. Ed Walker's faith in Almaqam has been rewarded this year as the five year old finally landed a Group One over in Ireland earlier this year and although he has a preference for slower ground, he is highly capable of mixing it at this level now. Last year's Horse of the Year, Calandagan, finished a close second in this race two years ago, but went on to win six Group One races in a row; including the Japan Cup. Francis-Henri Graffard's five year old has improved a long way since his last visit so will be a leading contender here. The eye-catching white face of Damysus is easy to spot, but he is another to develop into a high class older horse. John and Thady Gosden's four year old romped home in a Group Three at Newmarket earlier this year and but hasn't quite hit the heights over a mile since then and now steps back up in distance for this contest. A likely pace setter in this race will be the Godolphin-owned Devil's Advocate. He has been used as the sacrificial front runner for his stable-mate Ombudsman of late and he will be expected to force the pace once again. The new kid on the block would be Owen Burrows's Gethin, who has been a late bloomer. The four year old was unlucky to miss the Derby last year with injury, but looked very exciting when successful on his seasonal comeback and took the fight to Ombudsman at Sandown in May. The fears of a tactical race would be hopefully expelled as the Ballydoyle team of Aidan O'Brien would also field a pace-maker, Mississippi River. The four year old is useful at his best, but has been deployed as a hare in his last two races. The much improved More Thunder began his career over this sort of trip before his move to William Haggas's stable where he became a high class sprinter. This year, he has coped with a return to a mile as shown with a second place in the Lockinge and Queen Anne Stakes this summer. The defending champion Ombudsman returned to put his crown on the line, but John and Thady Gosden's brilliant colt has looked better than ever this year. He was devastating once again at Royal Ascot, quickening up from a strong pace in his usual style and will be a short price to repeat the feat. Godolphin would have a strong hand in this race as they were also represented by the high class Opera Ballo. Charlie Appleby's four year old won twice over nine furlongs in Dubai earlier this year but went off too hard in the Queen Anne at Ascot when only third. The returning Pride Of Arras has a perfect two from two record at York, but Ralph Beckett's four year old will find this a tough ask to win on comeback. The gelding won the Dante and Great Voltiguer Stakes here last summer, claiming notable scalps in the process, but hasn't been seen since a fourth in Bahrain in November. Juddmonte would have a strong contender for their own race in the form of the improving Purview. Trained in Ireland by the master Dermot Weld, the four year old has looked imperious in lower Group company and this race will be a good test of his ability. Karl Burke's stable star Royal Champion has held a high level of form throughout his career and the eight year old has recently made an impression on the world stage of late. After winning a Group Two over course and distance last year, he has won a pair of ultra-valuable races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. His last performance saw him take fourth in a Hong Kong Group One and he now returns to home turf. Roger Varian's four year old Saddadd will renew rivalries with his year-older half brother Almaqam and after progressing through the handicap system, he landed a Group Three at Sandown in April. He then chased home Almaqam in a Group One at the Curragh so looks ready for this level. The long absent Tornado Alert would make a belated return to action for the Saeed bin Suroor stable. After minor placings in the Guineas and Derby last year, the colt was last seen winning a Group One in Germany and provided Godolphin with another strong contender here. Francis-Henri Graffard has been represented in this race by Calandagan and Daryz in the last two seasons, so his runner this year Zaydann would be of interest. The four year old is beautifully bred and has been on the rise in his home country at a lower level, so it is hard to judge where his ceiling lies. Another with a strong record at York would be the likeable mare See The Fire. Andrew Balding's five year old has won three times on the Knavesmire and took third in last year's renewal. After landing a second win in the Middleton Stakes in May, she finished down the order at Royal Ascot last time out. The Juddmonte is a fascinating clash of three year olds and their elders and the first of the Classic generation would be Donnacha O'Brien's A Boy Named Susie. Despite not winning since his debut, he has remained a high level of form which includes a fourth in the French Derby over this trip. Aidan O'Brien would make it a family occasion and is looking to extend his record of wins in this race to thirteen. He would be represented by his star three-year-old Benvenuto Cellini, who hasn't been far from the headlines this year. The flashy chestnut delivered his best when a smooth winner in the Irish Derby in June and now drops back in distance for further success. The Ballydoyle stable produced Paddington from handicaps to a Group One winner a few years ago and have a similar type in the form of Causeway. The son of Wootton Bassett appears to just do enough on track and landed a fifth straight win at Royal Ascot in the King Edward VII Stakes, but this is a different level all together. Arguably the best three year old colt of this year also comes from the Aidan O'Brien stable; Constitution River. The son of Wootton Bassett has looked very stylish with wins at Chester and the French Derby this year and has been held in the highest of regard by his master trainer. One to move up in distance would Gstaad, another from the Ballydoyle stable. After a high class juvenile season last year, he was brushed aside in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. He bounced back in emphatic style to win the Irish version next time and went down fighting against old rival Bow Echo in a brilliant St James's Palace Stakes contest at Royal Ascot when beaten by a narrow margin. This year's Dante winner Item went straight into contention for the Epsom Derby following his impressive win at York in May and Andrew Balding's colt travelled powerfully until the final furlong in the Classic, so would be a very interesting runner over this shorter distance. Aidan O'Brien wouldn't be satisfied with high class colts, but also some brilliant fillies in this line-up. The first of them would be the exciting filly Diamond Necklace, who achieved the rare feat of becoming a foreign winner of the French 1000 Guineas and French Oaks this year. She is another who is very well bred and puts her five race unbeaten record on the line here. Completing the field would be Precise, who bounced back from early disappointment this year. The chestnut looked rusty when down the field in 1000 Guineas, but looked back to her best when running away in the Irish 1000 Guineas and holding her rivals at bay to win the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, but now goes up in distance for the first time.

Winner: