The race of the season? Profiling the Juddmonte International big-hitters - plus Harry Wilson's tip at double-figure odds

The Juddmonte International is the Group 1 highlight of York's Ebor festival and is worth a whopping £1.25 million. It was crowned the best race in 2024 at the Longines World Racing Awards in January, so who will join the star-studded roll of honour that includes Sea The Stars, Frankel, Baaeed and City Of Troy in the past two decades? Here we look at the leading contenders in the ante-post market . . .

Delacroix

Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old heads the betting at 6-4 following his last-gasp neck success over Ombudsman in the Eclipse at Sandown last month.

O'Brien is the winningmost trainer in the race's history, with seven victories this century, and his last three scorers have been three-year-olds in Australia (2014), Japan (2019) and City Of Troy (2024).

Delacroix (right): finished strongly to deny Ombudsman (left) in the Eclipse at SandownCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The sole blip in Delacroix's three-year-old campaign came in the Derby when he finished a well-beaten ninth. It was felt the blue-blooded son of Dubawi and Tepin was not suited by the track and its undulations, while the 1m4f trip may have stretched him. He has a 3-3 record at around the 1m2½f International trip.

There will be no such concerns at York and Delacroix arrives after recording a 6lb higher Racing Post Rating in the Eclipse than City Of Troy, who struck at Sandown before his Knavesmire triumph last year.

Key quote
Aidan O'Brien, trainer (July 6): "We knew he got a mile well last year, but the two times he ran at Leopardstown this year before the Derby were slowly run races and he didn't half quicken. Somewhere like York would be made for him and Leopardstown [Irish Champion] would be lovely too. We have two nice options for him."

Delacroix15:35 York

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Jky: Tnr: A P O'Brien

Ombudsman

An Eclipse rematch is in store with Godolphin's Ombudsman set to attempt to reverse form with Delacroix.

Ombudsman, trained by John and Thady Gosden, has finished in the first two on all of his seven starts and his highlight victory came at Royal Ascot when landing the Prince of Wales's Stakes in June.

The son of Night Of Thunder was unraced at two and is very likely to be still improving at four. He recorded the highest winning RPR in the Prince of Wales's since Rewilding, who ran to the same figure of 130 in 2011.

Following the omission of Field Of Gold, our RPR team have Ombudsman as the one to beat at York despite his Eclipse defeat. Bookmakers don't agree as he is the 9-4 second favourite.

Key quote
Thady Gosden, joint-trainer (August 5): "He ran a very good race in the Eclipse and was beaten by a top-class three-year-old coming through. He’s come out of that race well and has had a little freshen-up, so hopefully he’s heading to the Juddmonte International. He’s such a genuine horse, has got the required speed and hopefully can run a good race there."

Ombudsman15:35 York

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Jky: Tnr: John & Thady Gosden

Danon Decile

Japanese contender Danon Decile was as big as 14-1 in recent weeks and is now no bigger than 9-2 with Ladbrokes.

Last year's Japanese Derby winner was last in action when successful in the Dubai Sheema Classic on the World Cup card at Meydan in early April and the form has worked out well.

Runner-up Calandagan has since been successful in two Group 1s, including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the fourth Rebel's Romance has landed the Yorkshire Cup, Hardwicke Stakes and an eighth Group/Grade 1 in the Grosser Preis von Berlin last weekend.

The Shogo Yasuda-trained four-year-old has 5lb to find with Ombudsman on adjusted RPRs but is firmly in the mix in a race where Japan has recently fielded Cheval Grand, who finished eighth in 2019, and last year's fifth Durezza, who was a three-length third behind Danon Decile at Meydan. His rider Keita Tosaki, a three-time champion in Japan, will be having his first ride in Britain since competing at the Shergar Cup at Ascot in 2017.

Key quote
Shogo Yasuda, trainer (August 11): "It's quite a long journey but fortunately we had a good trip and he's settling in very well. Every day he's in better and better condition, and on the mental side and the physical side he's doing well. He's just where I want him to be right now, so that's a great situation to be in."

Danon Decile15:35 York

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Jky: Tnr: Shogo Yasuda

See The Fire

Delacroix, Ombudsman and Danon Decile have no course experience, whereas See The Fire shows her best form at York.

The Andrew Balding-trained filly finished a neck second to Opera Singer in the Nassau at Glorious Goodwood last year and recorded just a 2lb lower RPR when landing the Group 3 Strensall Stakes against the boys on her first start at York next time.

She took her course record to 2-2 when posting a clear career-best RPR in the Group 2 Middleton Fillies' Stakes in May, stretching away from Beautiful Love to win by 12 lengths.

That form has not worked out too well, and she has finished third behind Ombudsman at Ascot and filled the same spot in a heavy-ground Nassau on her next two starts, but Jeff Smith's homebred will no doubt have her backers given her clear liking for York. She is a general 8-1 shot.

Key quote
Jeff Smith, owner (July 31): "Conditions were dreadful at Goodwood but she ran well and we're pleased. She's very consistent. On her day, with fast ground, she's very good and we look forward to the Juddmonte now."

See The Fire15:35 York

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Jky: Tnr: Andrew Balding

The dark horse

The unbeaten Daryz is a standout 14-1 with William Hill but is likely to shorten significantly if he goes for the Juddmonte International rather than the Prix Niel.

The Aga Khan Studs homebred is the same price for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October after taking the step up to Group 2 company in his stride when beating Bay City Roller by three-quarters of a length in the Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud in June.

That form leaves him some way short of the market principals at York, however, and significant improvement will be required if he is set this assignment by trainer Francis Graffard, who saddled last year's runner-up Calandagan.

Daryz15:35 York

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Jky: Tnr: F-H Graffard

The tipster's view

By Harry Wilson

Delacroix may have run into trouble when winning the Eclipse, but he needed every yard of this distance on that stiff track to beat Ombudsman and I'd favour the runner-up to reverse that form at York.

However, quotes of 14-1 are too tempting to ignore for French raider Daryz, who has won all four starts since making his debut in April. Connections could opt for the Prix Niel but I hope they come here.

Daryz is impeccably bred. By Sea The Stars out of a Group 1-winning mare whose dam also won at the highest level, he has five stakes-winning siblings, including Prix Ganay winner Dariyan.

His most impressive performance visually came when slamming his rivals by four and a half lengths in the Listed Prix Ridgway on his sole encounter with soft ground, which bodes well for the Arc, but it was his latest victory that highlighted his potential for this test.

Upped to Group 2 level in the Prix Eugene Adam, he travelled comfortably before showing an electric turn of foot to lead inside the final furlong from the smart Bay City Roller, looking value for much more than the three-quarter-length winning margin. 

Owned by Aga Khan Studs, Daryz is a big, imposing sort who has been trained patiently to blossom as a three-year-old. He has come a long way in a short space of time and the best is yet to come.

Daryz15:35 York

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Jky: Tnr: F-H Graffard

Juddmonte International Stakes, York, August 20
William Hill: 13-8 Delacroix, 9-4 Ombudsman, 4 Danon Decile, 8 See The Fire, 14 Anmaat, Daryz, Whirl, 25 Minnie Hauk, 40 bar.

Read more . . .

'Danon Decile is just where I want him' - confidence growing in Japanese star's camp ahead of Juddmonte challenge  

Ombudsman steps up Juddmonte International prep with all-weather workout 

Field Of Gold absence paves way for 'career-defining' Juddmonte International rematch between Delacroix and Ombudsman 

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