City Of Troy leads 13 final declarations for Juddmonte International

By Sporting Life

14:23 · MON August 19, 2024

A fantastic field of 13 has been declared for Wednesday's Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

Aidan O'Brien's Derby and Coral-Eclipse hero City Of Troy heads the final declarations, and the betting market, for the big race on the opening day of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival, but he faces some stiff competition including from the French-trained Calandagan, an impressive winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Francis Graffard, trainer of Calandagan, said: "He’s in very good form. We gave him time after his win at Ascot and he’s back to his best form and ready to take his chance. He’s ready for the next level and we’ll see where we stand.

“The opposition is very strong, but I think York will suit him as it’s a big, galloping track with a long straight compared to somewhere like Deauville.”

Calandagan, who is already among the long-term favourites for the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot in October, was gelded on behaviour grounds after his first start but the benefits were immediate. He won his next race by 10 lengths and he has continued to go from strength, winning two historic Longchamp Group 3s on his way to Ascot.

Graffard explained: “He was very difficult as a two-year-old and we were struggling to get the best out of him, so we had no choice, but he’s a completely different horse now.”

The Prince of Wales's Stakes runner-up Zarakem is another fascinating runner from France, and further international strength is provided by the Japan-based Durezza, winner of the 'Japanese St Leger' on home soil last October.

Derby third Ambiente Friendly and Eclipse third Ghostwriter are out to exact their revenge on City Of Troy, who is also joined in the field by Ballydoyle stablemate and likely front-runner Hans Andersen.

Ambiente Friendly's jockey Rab Havlin said: "If you stopped both Derbys at the two-furlong marker he’s probably the only one still on the bridle, so you would have to think that dropping back in trip will help. It looks like being the race of the season so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Ambiente Friendly has two and three quarter lengths to make up on City Of Troy on the Epsom form, but Havlin feels that’s not insurmountable, saying: “I’d like to hope that he can reverse form. At the two pole at Epsom I think most people would have been thinking he was the winner, and he’s mentally growing up all of the time."

Dual Sky Bet York Stakes winner Alflaila brings a fine course record to the table and represents the in-form Owen Burrows, while Ralph Beckett has confirmed his star filly Bluestocking, who also had the Yorkshire Oaks as an option on the Thursday card.

Beckett said: “It wasn’t really a difficult decision. The owners [sponsors Juddmonte] were keen and I didn’t have a problem with it. There’s a drop of rain forecast in the next 48 hours and it all made sense.

“She was good over a mile and a quarter at the Curragh, so there are no concerns there, and she has good course and distance form before that. She’s got a little bit to find but not a lot, and she was only 20/1 over the weekend because of the doubt about her running. We are looking forward to it."

Docklands was last seen finishing second to Charyn in the Queen Anne Stakes and goes up in trip, a comment that also applies to the William Haggas-trained Maljoom, runner-up to Guineas winner Notable Speech in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last month.

Maljoom's rider Tom Marquand said: “It was a massive run at Goodwood, where he was second to a Guineas winner and an exceptional horse, and everyone was in agreement afterwards that the step up to a mile and a quarter would help him and was the next logical step. From a rider’s perspective the blinkers he wore for the first time at Goodwood just take away that few strides of lag before he gets to it all."

Israr (John and Thady Gosden) and Royal Rhyme (Karl Burke) complete the list of runners in what promises to be a stellar renewal of the famous race.

Juddmonte International - Paddy Power: evens City Of Troy, 6 Bluestocking, 13/2 Calandagan, 7 Ambiente Friendly, 10 Alflaila, 16 Ghostwriter, 25 Israr, Maljoom, Zarakem, 33 Durezza, 50 Docklands, 66 Royal Rhyme, 200 Hans Andersen.

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

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