Ombudsman in pole position for Juddmonte International Stakes defence

It looks like we are going to be treated to an absolute blockbuster at York on Wednesday with a potentially thrilling renewal of the £1.5 million Juddmonte International Stakes. Ahead of the final declarations, the richest race ever staged on the historic Knavesmire has racing purists purring in anticipation of a classic cross-generation battlefield: the reigning king, Ombudsman, versus a number of very smart young pretenders including Constitution River and Item, writes Paul Alster.

John and Thady Gosden (pictured above) are no strangers to showcase winners at the superb Ebor Festival. Their stable is firing on all cylinders, boasting a superb turf strike rate over the summer. When the Clarehaven team target York, they often hit the target, even against the very highest quality international opposition. On Wednesday they saddle the five-year-old titan and current even money favourite Ombudsman, who dismantled his field in this race twelve months ago. He comes into this following a commanding display in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June (where he slammed Minnie Hauk by four lengths), and with the Gosden yard famed for priming their top-tier athletes to hit their absolute peak when stepping off a mini-break, he will be hard to beat.

William Buick has developed an almost telepathic understanding with Ombudsman, riding him with ice-cold patience. He seems to knows exactly when to stoke the engine. Remember this race twelve months ago when he sat a long way off the trailblazing pacemaker Burr Castle then coolly reeled him in at the furlong pole before bounding right away to win in great style? This time, stablemate Devil’s Advocate is expected to be the horse whose primary function will be to ensure this race does not dissolve into a messy, stop-start crawl.

Aidan O’Brien has won this race a record seven times, most recently with City of Troy. Team Coolmore has chosen the explosive three-year-old Constitution River to spearhead their challenge, and fresh from fine victories in the French Derby and the Coral-Eclipse, he looks certain to make a race of it with Ombudsman in receipt of the 7lb weight-for-age allowance conceded by the older horse. O’Brien, never frightened to allow stable companions to take each other on in big races, could also run the very classy Hawk Mountain, along with Causeway, and Action, the latter pair expected to serve as pacemakers.

World-leading jockey Ryan Moore (pictured above) partners Constitution River having been in white-hot form with an incredible strike rate in Group 1 events this season. Ballydoyle may well seek to drag the favourite into an uncomfortable early rhythm, testing whether his outstanding late turn of foot can survive a brutal, end-to-end gallop. It should make fascinating viewing.

Looking beyond the big two, Andrew Balding’s yard has been in fine form throughout 2026 and is operating at a high level this August. His burgeoning course specialist Item is a perfect two-from-two on the Knavesmire this year, including a stylish victory in the Dante Stakes at the May meeting, and his smooth success in the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes at this track last month where he comfortably beat last year’s Dante and Great Voltigeur Stakes winner, Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras, who tries his luck again against Item but will do very well to turn the tables.

These days it is foolish not to seriously consider any horse trained by French maestro Francis-Henri Graffard who brings Zaydann across the Channel to take his chance in this elite contest. Graffard’s raiding parties boast a fine percentage when targeting British Group 1 prizes, so although he takes on his toughest task to date and has done all his winning on easier ground, the colt could outrun his odds and be very much in the mix. Rounding out the field is Ed Walker’s Tattersalls Cup winner Almaqam, but he looks to have too much on his pate having been easily brushed aside by Ombudsman at Ascot last time.

We have already been treated to a number of tremendous duels in top British races this season, and the potentially three-way fight between defending champ Ombudsman, and the star three-year-olds Constitution River and Item, really could be yet another great race to savour.

Paul Alster has broadcast and reported on the British racing industry for four decades as a commentator, journalist, TV and radio presenter, betting correspondent, SP Returner, tipster and form analyst, among other things.