Wednesday, 21st August, sees the 2024 Ebor Festival roll onto the Knavesmire as York Racecourse hosts one of its signature events of the season. The handicap from which the meeting takes its name serves as the highlight on the closing Saturday, but the classiest event of the meeting lights up a sizzling opening day.
Often among the highest-rated contests held anywhere on the planet, the 2024 edition of the Juddmonte International looks well up to scratch. Here, we present our take on the big one and the other two Group class contests on the card.
2:25 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, 7f, Group 3
First up, a quality event for the juveniles, which tends to produce a smart winner – Chaldean took this in 2022 before claiming the 2000 Guineas in 2023, and 2018 hero Phoenix Of Spain landed the Irish 2000 Guineas in 2019. Looking at some of the form and pedigrees on show, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a similar calibre of performer emerge from the 2024 edition.
We have a classic Godolphin vs Coolmore battle at the head of the market, but rather than the familiar Dubawi vs Galileo sire showdown, it’s Justify vs Sea The Stars.
Thanks to the exploits of Opera Singer and City Of Troy, Justify has served Ballydoyle well this season, but this time, his colt Ruling Court goes in the all-blue of Godolphin. Raced just once, the mount of William Buick could scarcely have made a more favourable impression at Sandown. Quietly ridden in midfield, the good-looking bay sprouted wings when in the clear to storm to a 5½l success. Those in behind have had mixed results since, but the third home, Stanhope Gardens, won next time out to lend some substance to the form.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained The Lion In Winter wasn’t as visually impressive when scoring on debut at The Curragh, but it still rated a fine effort to reel in the leaders in the straight to win by a widening 2¼l. Considering O’Brien runners often improve significantly for their first run, that performance can be marked up. In common with Ruling Court’s outing, the third home scored next time out to boost the form.
Of those available at bigger prices, the William Haggas-trained Yaroogh makes the most each-way appeal. His win in a Class 3 at Haydock in May didn’t look anything out of the ordinary at the time, but the runner-up, Seagulls Eleven, has since finished a solid second in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.
Likeable as that Yaroogh form is, we will be surprised if this doesn’t fall to one of the top two in the market. The narrowest of votes going to The Lion In Winter, whose time compared favourably with that of Ruling Court and should be suited by the likely strong pace here.
Recommended Bet: The Lion In Winter to win at 2/1 with bet365
3:00 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, 1m4f, Group 2
Aidan O’Brien landed this prize in 2023 with subsequent St. Leger champ Continuous and is responsible for half of the six-runner field in 2024.
Los Angeles boasts the strongest form claims of the trio and is unsurprisingly the choice of Ryan Moore. Third in the Epsom Derby, the son of Camelot went two places better to claim Classic glory in the Irish Derby in June. He gets a 5lb penalty for that but remains the one they all have to beat on ratings.
14 lengths behind Los Angeles in the Irish Derby, stablemate Euphoric has a lot to find and looks set for pace-making duties, but Illinois could prove dangerous. By Galileo and a half-brother to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine, Danedream, this one makes masses of appeal on pedigree and bagged the 1m6f Group 2 Queen’s Vase in good style at the Royal Meeting. On the downside, he was outpaced close home over this trip in the Grand Prix de Paris last time, suggesting staying may be his game.
King’s Gambit heads up the home challenge for Harry Charlton. Second last time out to Alflaila in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes, he arrives in form but steps up to 1m4f for the first time. Owen Burrows’ Deira Mile looks like a bigger threat for our money, having finished a rock-solid fourth in the Derby last time out. He came from a mile back to finish on the heels of Los Angeles that day and gets a 5lb pull in the weights here.
A tricky race to weigh up, but with Illinois and Deira Mile both running as though 1m6f may be their optimum, the combination of Ryan Moore’s excellent judgement of pace and the additional gears of Los Angeles can see this go to the favourite.
Recommended Bet: Los Angeles to win at 11/8f with BetVictor
3:35 Juddmonte International Stakes, 1m2½f, Group 1
Last but not least, one of the hottest 1m2f events of the season, bar none. Australia, Ghaiyyath, and Baaeed have all claimed Juddmonte International gold in the past decade, whilst a trawl through the history books reveals the names of Giant’s Causeway, Sea The Stars, and Frankel on the roll-of-honour. All in all, a race not to be missed, but who will come out on top this time?
The market says this will most likely fall to the latest superstar to roll off the Coolmore production line – City Of Troy. Aidan O’Brien has waxed lyrical about this son of Justify almost from the moment he first set hoof on the racecourse, with comments such as “... he is the best two-year-old I’ve trained”, and “No doubt (he is the best Derby winner I have trained” inevitably drawing the gaze of the racing world.
So far at the track, City Of Troy has largely delivered on the hype (barring that Auguste Rodin-like aberration in the 2000 Guineas). Immaculate during his juvenile campaign, he oozed class in the Epsom Derby. Had he arrived here straight from Epsom, we suspect he would have started at odds-on. The fact he is available at a general 6/5 is a result of a workmanlike success in the Coral-Eclipse, which was efficient rather than sparkling. The alternative view is that the beautiful moving colt did well to win at all on near-bottomless ground. Whatever the case, he will likely need to return to his Derby levels to take this.
This race hasn’t fallen to a French trainer since Dahlia landed the prize for a second time in 1975. However, if there is a horse to upset the favourite, the market suggests it is most likely to be the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Calandagan. Arriving seeking a four-timer, he was amongst the most impressive winners at Royal Ascot when slamming the King Edward VII Stakes by a yawning six lengths. He’s down 2f in trip here but has won over the distance and should go well for Stephane Pasquier.
Arabian Queen was the last filly to come home in front when causing a 50/1 shock in 2015. Bluestocking is the only female contender in the 2024 line-up but boasts rock-solid form from this season. Having bagged a first Group success in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh in June, she then had Rebel’s Romance and Auguste Rodin behind when second in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes last time. A winner over track and trip, she shouldn’t be dismissed lightly.
And don’t forget about the James Fanshaw representative Ambiente Friendly. 2f from home, this son of Gleneagles looked to have the Derby at his mercy as he came swinging into contention under Robert Havlin, only to be worn down by City Of Troy on the run to the line. It was a similar story last time out, with his third behind Los Angeles and Sunway no doubt inspiring this drop in trip.
At around the 8/1 mark, Ambiente Friendly would be our each-way selection in the race. However, experience has taught us that taking Aidan O’Brien at his word is a sensible long-term strategy. Undoubtedly underwhelming at Sandown, City Of Troy still got the job done and can show his true colours back on a quicker surface.
Recommended Bet: City of Troy to win at 6/5 with QuinnBet
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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