What happens in the Aug. 21 Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York could well define City of Troy in the minds of many.
A glorious victory such as the ones earned by Frankel , Sea The Stars , and Baaeed will elevate him and further diminish his defeat in the Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and his underwhelming success in the Eclipse Stakes (G1).
However, this race has a well-earned reputation for being a champions’ graveyard, with the likes of Brigadier Gerard, Golden Horn , Oh So Sharp, and, last year, Paddington leaving humbled.
Questioning a horse who is a Epsom Derby (G1) winner and has lost only once in his life may seem overly harsh but, having been labeled “our Frankel” by connections last year, expectations have only ever been sky high for Justify colt City of Troy.
“He seems to be in good form and everything has gone well with him since Sandown, everyone is happy with him,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien, who also runs Hans Andersen in the race. “We always thought York would suit him as he’s a big, long-striding horse.
“Hans Andersen is a solid, straightforward horse and seems in good form.”
Maturing Ambiente Friendly Ready to Take On City of Troy
Having secured two classic placings in the Derby and the Irish Derby (G1), Ambiente Friendly drops back in trip by a furlong and a half as part of some tweaks that connections hope will put him in with every chance of landing this approximately 1 1/4-mile contest.
As the season has progressed, the hard-pulling Ambiente Friendly who slammed his rivals in the Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes has matured into a group 1 performer whose stamina is perhaps taxed too much by racing over a mile and a half.
Ambiente Friendly takes the Derby Trial at Lingfield Racecourse
No horse traveled better than him to the two-furlong marker in the Derby at Epsom, but City Of Troy saw out the race better to beat him by 2 3/4 lengths.
The two go head-to-head again at York, and Tim Gredley, who owns the colt in partnership with his father, Bill, is eager to see how a more grown-up Ambiente Friendly fares this time.
“We’re looking forward to it,” he said. “What’s great about him is that we know he goes to the races and puts in 100% effort, so that gives you greater confidence about watching him. We feel like we’ve tweaked a few things coming into this race and I think the break (since the Irish Derby) can only have worked in his favor.”
Bluestocking Team Eager to Compete in ‘One of the Races of the Season’
The depth of this year’s field is highlighted by Bluestocking , who lines up here rather than taking the potentially easier option of the Yorkshire Oaks (G1).
Bluestocking (right) wins the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh
The Ralph Beckett-trained filly is owned by race sponsor Juddmonte, the operation founded by the late Khalid Abdullah and now jointly chaired by his sons Prince Fahad, Prince Ahmad, and Prince Saud.
But while there is a family connection to the race, and record prize money of £1.25 million, it is the challenge of taking on top-class horses that has been as much of a motivating factor as anything in opting for it, according to Barry Mahon, the owners’ racing manager.
“Several factors went into deciding to go for this race,” he said. “We discussed it with the owners last Friday. She’s a group 1 winner at 10 furlongs and was an impressive course-and-distance winner in May. She’s never won over a mile and a half despite running well several times at the distance.
“This is a special race for Juddmonte, it’s our flagship race, and it has record prize money this year, so the owners were keen to be represented.
“It’s setting up to be one of the races of the season, if not the race of the season, and great credit has to go to the owners for being so sporting. She would have been 6-4 favorite for the Yorkshire Oaks and it would have been the easy thing, perhaps, to go there, but they breed and race horses to enjoy them competing in races like this. That’s why we’re looking forward to it so much.”
As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, the winner gets an automatic, fees-paid berth to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The Juddmonte International is one of four Challenge series races to be contested at York Aug. 21-23, along with the Acomb Stakes (G3), Yorkshire Oaks, and Nunthorpe Stakes (G1).
