Juddmonte International

YORK, UK -- Those rather dangerous words issued last October after the Dewhurst don't seem quite so bold now. "He's our Frankel," said City Of Troy's part-owner Michael Tabor back then. It may still seem like sacrilege, especially on a day when Juddmonte sponsors the big race, to compare any other Thoroughbred to Frankel, but at York there has truly been no anticipation so intense, no reception so rapturous, since Henry Cecil's wonder horse took the Knavesmire by storm in the Juddmonte International Stakes 12 years ago.  Twelve years gone...

It was said to be a source of "great disappointment" to the BHA's Flat Pattern Committee that its partners in Europe could not unanimously agree on an upgrade to the G2 Sky Bet City of York Stakes back in February. Had the application been approved by the European Pattern Committee (EPC), it would have seen the the race become the only Group 1 to be run over seven furlongs in Britain. This was no hit-and-hope attempt by York to attain that status, rather the culmination of a 12-year-plan, in conjunction...

Francis-Henri Graffard may have had to contend with the disappointment of retiring his Classic-winning filly Rouhiya (Fr), but he still has much to look forward to in the coming weeks, not least another trip to Ascot with Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) for Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Owned by his breeder Baron Philip von Ullmann of Gestut Schlenderhan, the four-year-old was last seen running second to Isle Of Jura (Ire) in the G2 Hardwicke Stakes. Following his win in the G3 Prix d'Hedouville in early May,...

The G1 Juddmonte International, rated the Longines World's Best Race in 2020, will be run for a record £1.25 million in 2024, York Racecourse and Juddmonte announced on Friday. In 2023, the Juddmonte International was worth £1 million and produced another high-class winner in Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who ended the year as the joint highest-rated horse in the world outside Japan. The feature event on the opening day of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival also retained its position as one of the top ten races in the world. The...

Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), the world's joint highest-rated horse and the six-length winner of last month's G1 Juddmonte International, will bypass the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 3 and instead point in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 16, Racing Post reports. "After discussions with owner Prince Faisal it has been decided that Mishriff will have his next race in the Qipco Champion S. at Ascot," said trainer John Gosden. "We feel we should stick to a mile and a quarter with him rather...

G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) will revert to the mile distance over which she won those two features for the Oct. 16 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. after beating just one home in Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International over a mile and a quarter. The 3-year-old filly, who also won last year's G1 Cheveley Park S., was racing beyond a mile for the first time. "Going up to a mile and a quarter was always going to be a punt," said trainer...

While the July 24 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II S. is the most likely next port of call for dual Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), the 4-year-old also has the option of the G2 York S. on the same day, said Ted Voute, racing manager to the colt's owner Prince Faisal. The plan would be to then push on to the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 18. After winning the Saudi Cup going 1800 metres on the dirt in February, Mishriff backed up five...

Saeed bin Suroor's triple Group 1 winner Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is back in training and eyeing the G1 Juddmonte International at York on Aug. 19 for a potential return to action. The 6-year-old, a former winner of the G1 Dubai Turf, G1 Grosser Preis Dallmayr and G1 Ladbrokes S., showed a new dimension when winning the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 over the dirt at Meydan in February before finishing third in the inaugural Saudi Cup. He was favoured for the G1 Dubai World Cup before that event was...

The next big aim for Kameko (Kitten's Joy) remains the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 19, but the G1 2000 Guineas winner could take in the G1 Sussex S. en route on July 29, trainer Andrew Balding revealed the day after the colt finished fourth as the post time favourite in the G1 Investec Derby. "Obviously it was slightly disappointing, because we had huge expectations, but that's why it is such an important and special race--you only get one chance at it, and it is very difficult to win," Balding...