In a week of high-profile retirements such as Bow Echo and Trawlerman intertwined with nervous glances over at the gambling industry given a fresh whack by the Labour Government, it’s a welcome distraction that York hosts top-class racing in the coming days.
York’s Ebor Festival is one of the biggest highlights in the British racing calendar. A wonderful racecourse and the undisputed main event is the Juddmonte International.
This is a race that is now regularly one of the best staged anywhere in the world. A powerful reminder how brilliant this sport can be. The roll of honour is glittering and the 2026 renewal looks more than up to scratch.
Defending champion Ombudsman has looked borderline unbeatable when three things are in his favour; a strong pace, fast ground and a mile and a quarter.
He defended his Prince of Wales’ Stakes crown at Royal Ascot successfully and aims to do so again in the Juddmonte International (Wednesday, 3.35). In his most notable three wins in these big Group One races, all three key factors have been in his favour.
He gets all his optimum conditions again but he looks set to take on his toughest opponent yet in talented three-year-old Constitution River. Aidan O’Brien’s colt won the Eclipse in the manner of a top-class horse, backing up his French Derby win.
Ombudsman wins the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot this summer
But Ombudsman faces a serious rival in talented three-year old Constitution River
He’ll receive weight from John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old. This is his sternest challenge and has a bit to find on raw form but Constitution River has stacks of potential and is probably better than Delacroix, the O’Brien three-year-old who beat Ombudsman in the Eclipse but lost to him in the International last season.
It’s Coolmore v Godolphin. Ryan Moore v William Buick. Gosden v O’Brien. Both have pacemakers to ensure a strong tempo. The defending champion and best older horse in Europe against the most exciting colt from the Classic generation. This will be a clash to truly savour and there will be no excuses.
The progressive Item is third in the market and has enough potential and class to ensure that the top two might not get it all their own way. A strong pace is in his favour and he acts effectively around York, winning the Dante Stakes and Sky Bet York Stakes in impressive style.
Both of those were Group Twos and he’ll have to step up quite significantly but it’s not entirely beyond him. He likes quick ground and a strong pace will suit him. He’s not out of it at 13/2 for trainer Andrew Balding.
Zaydann is unbeaten in his last five races for Francis Henri-Graffard. This was a culture shock for Daryz last year but he bounced back to win the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe. Don’t dismiss him regardless of how he fares on the Knavesmire.
Almaqam is talented but would prefer some cut, while Pride Of Arras has some useful form but has lost his way recently.
The market has Ombudsman as 10/11 favourite over 7/4 Constitution River and that looks fair to me.
In terms of clearer betting opportunities on day one, MOUNTAIN ROAD (25/1 Coral) was a huge eyecatcher when too far back off a steady pace in third in the Shergar Cup. A more conventional race and upped to two miles in the Sky Bet Stayers’ Handicap (Wednesday, 4.10) should suit Jim Goldie’s horse much better and odds of 25/1 are too big.
Maltese Cross looks the right 5/2 favourite in the Great Voltigeur and might have too much pace for O’Brien duo Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard (Wednesday, 3.00).
Ombudsman wins the Juddmonte International at York last season
Minnie Hauk might be capable of leaving a poor effort in the King George behind to topple Kalpana in Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks.
The retirement of Trawlerman has thrown Friday’s Lonsdale Cup into flux and might be a race to play late on with a view of the Group Two staying race turning into a bit of a boil over. The top of the market looks largely uninspiring.
Perhaps, Amiloc can show his true colours but appeal is limited at the current odds of 3/1. It wouldn’t be a massive shock if French Master popped up at 14s. It’s that kind of muddling race.
Bacio is a fascinating contender in the Nunthorpe Stakes. The Wesley Ward-trained American speedball ran amok with a Royal Ascot handicap and could be up to cutting the mustard at Group One level. He’s the undisputed pace in the race and the draw will be key. Horses like American Affair would love to be in and around him to track that pace.
TWO CATCH THE EARLY EYE AMONG AYR GOLD CUP ENTRIES
The entries for the Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup came out on Tuesday and two horses catch the eye for Scotland’s richest Flat race.
RED SPELLS DANGER (12/1, Paddy Power) is one to keep firmly on side. Trained by Tim Easterby, he won the Shergar Cup Sprint very well and is now rated in the high-90s. That’s the kind of mark you need to get into the Ayr Gold Cup and the owners were quick to nominate this race as the next big target.
He’s on the upgrade and is versatile in terms of ground, arguably even better on softer than the good-to-firm he won on at Royal Ascot.
Lochsong is probably the most famous winner of the Ayr Gold Cup back in 1992 when trained by Ian Balding and owned by Jeff Smith before going on to win Group One honours.
Those famous Smith silks of purple and blue are back with a homebred bloodline that can be traced all the way back to Lochsong.
Lethal Levi won the Ayr Gold Cup in 2024 and the entries are out for this year’s renewal
DANCE IN THE STORM (20/1, Unibet) is trained by Andrew Balding, owned by Smith and runs exclusively at seven furlongs but looks the type to handle a drop back to 6f.
Excess stamina for this race is no bad thing for an Ayr Gold Cup and the four-year-old filly did have an entry in tomorrow’s six-furlong Listed race at Pontefract that wasn’t taken up.
Balding knows this when Donjuan Triumphant won the race when it was rerouted to Haydock and he was a seven-furlong type that handled six furlongs.
She’s declared for the seven-furlong handicap on Thursday at York’s Ebor Festival and Oisin Murphy is already jocked up. Rated 98, she still has plenty of potential but perhaps a drop to six furlongs is being explored later in the season when there might be a bit more cut in the ground.
The temptation will be there and a crack at the £92k first prize might be too good to resist come September 19.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK… COPPULL led the Hungerford Stakes field a merry dance to win the Group Two contest at Newbury. Jockey hector Crouch had a day to remember and Coppull charted the right course down the middle of the track and kicked for home down the quicker far rail to win well at the line.
The step up to seven furlongs worked well and opens up more avenues for the Clive Cox-trained colt.
Coppull charges home to win the Group Two Hungerford Stakes at Newbury
SELECTION OF THE DAY…
FRANCIS HENRI-GRAFFARD claimed Group One glory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest with Samangan at Deauville last Sunday and he looks poised to win another top race with RAYIF (13/2, Sky Bet) at the same venue in tomorrow’s Prix Jacques Le Marois (Deauville, 2.50).
He comes here fresher than most of his rivals and the step back to seven furlongs counted against him when fifth in the Jean Prat here last month. Stablemate Samangan was fourth that day and he can take a similar jump up in form to take this prize.
More Thunder was a shade disappointing last time out at Ascot and his waiting style may not suit in France. The extra furlong could be a negative for Jean Prat winner Thesecretadversary, while Precise will be having her sixth run of the season and looks in need of 10 furlongs now.
O’Brien’s Irish 1,000 Guineas winner will be on a similar plan to stablemate and 1,000 Guineas heroine True Love and she didn’t find much for pressure in last week’s Prix Maurice de Gheest, shaping as if she’d benefit from a break. Precise might suffer a similar fate and has been on the go and danced every big dance since May 3.
This looks tougher for Zeus Olympios and the Japanese duo need to prove themselves in a new environment. This looks like a good opportunity for Rayif in a Group One race named after the late owner’s stud farm.
