White Birch set to bypass Juddmonte International as connections eye alternative Group 1 target

White Birch will not take his place in Wednesday's Juddmonte International Stakes with connections opting to miss York and prepare him for a tilt at the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 14.

The Ulysses colt was a classy three-year-old, winning the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes before placed efforts in the Dante and the Derby, but has returned this campaign in tremendous fashion having landed all three of his starts. He was last seen taking the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup in May in devastating fashion when defeating Auguste Rodin by three lengths.

Having swerved the Eclipse last month due to his bloods not being 100 per cent satisfactory, connections were considering running him at York but have decided that the race will come a bit quickly as they build their stable star back up to full fitness.

George Murphy, assistant trainer to his father John, said: "White Birch won't be going to York. He's in great form and perfectly healthy but he had his little break and it's just coming a bit quick for him fitness-wise. 

"He'll definitely be aimed at the Irish Champion Stakes now. The Juddmonte is just coming a bit quick and he could do with another fortnight of work under his belt before he goes for a race like that." 

With City Of Troy set to run in the Juddmonte, White Birch will now miss a highly-anticipated duel with Aidan O'Brien's Derby winner but Leopardstown could host the match next month. 

White Birch is a best-priced 8-1 for the 1m2f Group 1, with City Of Troy heading the market at 5-2. The William Haggas-trained Economics is 4-1 after connections mentioned the Irish Champion Stakes as a possibility after his victory in the Group 2 Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville on Thursday.

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