August 20 / 15.35 York

15.35

Good To Firm

Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1)

  • Prize money: £748217.56
  • 1m 2f 56y
  • Class 1
  • 6 runners
ITV
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Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

OUR TIP

7/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.75
  • Place: £1.35

Form: 11-212 D BF

Last run: 46 days

W: 9st 8lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
4yo who made it five wins from his first six starts when impressive in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot (1m2f, good to firm); headed in final strides by Delacroix in the Group 1 Eclipse at Sandown (1m2f, good to firm) since, when a messy gallop may have been a negative; has a pacemaker today which should help in that regard and he's a very solid contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

(5)

28th May 2026

Good

1m 1f 209y

Class 1

19:12 Sandown

Ombudsman

9st 9lb

J: William Buick

T: John & Thady Gosden

Second in this last year on his reappearance and he's won three Group 1 races since (1m2f/1m1f, good to firm/good), the latest the Dubai Turf at Meydan in March on his sole outing this year; John Gosden has said that this is "going to bring him on to where we want him at (Royal) Ascot" but he'll be very tough to beat under a 7lb penalty if close to the top of his game.

8/11

2nd

6

(9)

18th Oct 2025

Good

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

16:05 Ascot

Ombudsman

9st 7lb

J: William Buick

T: John & Thady Gosden

Record reads 11112121; has developed into a high-class colt this term and stormed past his pacemaker in the latter stages of the Juddmonte International at York (1m2f, good to firm) most recently, comfortably reversing Eclipse placings with Delacroix and adding to his success in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot; top on ratings and may have an even bigger figure in him.

13/8

15/8

  • Place: £1.70

Form: 2-1191 D

Last run: 46 days

W: 9st 1lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Won two Derby trials this spring and bounced back from Derby disappointment to win the Group 1 Eclipse at Sandown (1m2f, good to firm) last month; he deserves immense credit for overhauling Ombudsman late on last time having found trouble in running in the straight and got behind, and it was a performance that suggests he could take plenty of beating today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

9

(4)

18th Oct 2025

Good

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

16:05 Ascot

Delacroix

9st 3lb

J: Christophe Soumillon

T: A P O’Brien

Ballydoyle colt who is progressive in the main; justified favouritism in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown (good to yielding) most recently, taking his form figures over 1m2f to 11121 and overall strike-rate to 6-11; unable to match Ombudsman's late acceleration in the International but had got up late on to collar that rival in the Eclipse and is set for another gripping rematch.

3/1

1st

5

(8)

13th Sep 2025

Soft

1m 2f 0y

17:30 Leopardstown

Delacroix

9st 3lb

J: Christophe Soumillon

T: A P O’Brien

Won two Derby trials over C&D and bounced back from Epsom failure to win the Eclipse at Sandown (1m2f, good to firm); deserved much credit for overhauling Ombudsman late on, having found trouble in running in the straight; beaten by the same top-class rival at York; reputation largely restored all the same; major player for stable denied six in a row in this last year.

10/11

2nd

6

(3)

20th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:35 York

Delacroix

9st 1lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

Won two Derby trials this spring and bounced back from Derby disappointment to win the Group 1 Eclipse at Sandown (1m2f, good to firm) last month; he deserves immense credit for overhauling Ombudsman late on last time having found trouble in running in the straight and got behind, and it was a performance that suggests he could take plenty of beating today.

15/8

100/1

Form: 32-644 D BF

Last run: 43 days

W: 9st 8lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 109

Form & Verdict
Two 1m2f Listed wins in 2023 and he's run well in some Group and Listed races since; supplemented at a cost of £85,000 last week and will reportedly be a pacemaker for Ombudsman; a pacemaker won the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood but it's hard to be optimistic that lightning will strike twice.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

(6)

20th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:35 York

Birr Castle

9st 8lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: A Fabre

Two 1m2f Listed wins in 2023 and he's run well in some Group and Listed races since; supplemented at a cost of £85,000 last week and will reportedly be a pacemaker for Ombudsman; a pacemaker won the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood but it's hard to be optimistic that lightning will strike twice.

100/1

Form: 5-5133 CD

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 5lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Made it 2-2 here when bolting up in the Group 2 Middleton Fillies' Stakes over C&D (good to firm) in May, and heavy ground excuses her below-par run in the Nassau three weeks ago; in between she was no match for Ombudsman in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot (1m2f, good to firm) and, while the return to York offers some hope, a career best is necessary.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

(4)

14th May 2026

Good

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:30 York

See The Fire

9st 2lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Pulverised her seven rivals in this on her second outing of last season, scoring by a whopping 12l on good to firm; couldn't quite reproduce that high-class RPR at Group 1 level in five subsequent outings in 2025 but mostly ran well, including a close second in the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp (1m2f, soft); didn't have much to spare at the line when 1-3 for a 1m2f Nottingham Listed race on reappearance but cruised through most of that contest and will likely be a lot closer to her best this time; again the one to beat in this.

6/5

1st

5

(6)

26th Apr 2026

Good

1m 2f 50y

Class 1

16:55 Nottingham

See The Fire

9st 2lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Andrew Balding

Smart filly who is a Group 3 and Group 2 winner at York (1m1f/1m2f); has plenty of Group 1 form, including placed efforts at Royal Ascot (against males) and Longchamp (close second) last season; takes on some unexposed and interesting rivals but sets a high standard for them to aim at; respected back down sharply in class.

2/5

4th

4

(2)

20th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:35 York

See The Fire

9st 5lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Made it 2-2 here when bolting up in the Group 2 Middleton Fillies' Stakes over C&D (good to firm) in May, and heavy ground excuses her below-par run in the Nassau three weeks ago; in between she was no match for Ombudsman in the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot (1m2f, good to firm) and, while the return to York offers some hope, a career best is necessary.

6/1

11/2

Form: 163-11 D

Last run: 137 days

W: 9st 8lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
Won 2024 Japanese Derby (1m4f, good to firm) and posted his second top-level win in the Dubai Sheema Classic (1m4f, good) in April when last seen; drops back in trip but he's not short of pace and he had subsequent King George winner Calandagan in second at Meydan, so his form reads extremely well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

(4)

20th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:35 York

Danon Decile

9st 8lb

J: Keita Tosaki

T: Shogo Yasuda

Won 2024 Japanese Derby (1m4f, good to firm) and posted his second top-level win in the Dubai Sheema Classic (1m4f, good) in April when last seen; drops back in trip but he's not short of pace and he had subsequent King George winner Calandagan in second at Meydan, so his form reads extremely well.

11/2

9/1

Form: 1111 D

Last run: 52 days

W: 9st 1lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Made it 4-4 (all at about 1m2f, good-soft) when winning Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud in June last time; others have lots more substance to their form but he did it readily off a steady gallop and this blue-blooded 3yo has Group 1 potential, especially when getting a stronger pace which seems likely here; connections' Calandagan was second in this last year; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

5

(1)

20th Aug 2025

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:35 York

Daryz

9st 1lb

J: Mickael Barzalona

T: F-H Graffard

Made it 4-4 (all at about 1m2f, good-soft) when winning Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud in June last time; others have lots more substance to their form but he did it readily off a steady gallop and this blue-blooded 3yo has Group 1 potential, especially when getting a stronger pace which seems likely here; connections' Calandagan was second in this last year; respected.

9/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.00
Straight Forecast £5.58
Trifecta £133.30

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Ombudsman

The Times:

Daryz

Telegraph:

Danon Decile

SPOTLIGHT:

Delacroix

TOPSPEED:

See The Fire

D Express:

Daryz

Daily Record:

Daryz

The Star:

Delacroix

POSTDATA:

Ombudsman

NEWMARKET:

Ombudsman

The Sun:

Ombudsman

The Guardian:

Danon Decile

Daily Mail:

Danon Decile

Daily Mirror:

See The Fire