City Of Troy wins The Grade I Coral-Eclipse (Courtesy Sandown Park and Coolmore)
Winners of Juddmonte International and Tattersalls Acomb Stakes to Receive Automatic Berths into Nov. 1-2 World Championships at Del Mar
Breeders’ Cup Release
YORK, U.K. ─ Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith’s City of Troy will face 12 quality rivals as he bids for additional top-level glory in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York on Wednesday, with the field vying for a free berth in the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races in 12 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California.
In addition to the 1 1/4-mile Juddmonte International Stakes for 3-year-olds and up, the opening day program of the Ebor Festival also includes the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds, which is an automatic qualifier for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Stakes (G1).
There will be two additional Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races at York this week. Thursday’s Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (G1) provides a berth in the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and Friday’s Coolmore Wooton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) awards an automatic starting position into the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).
City of Troy Faces Toughest Test Yet
City of Troy has silenced the doubters since his flop in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas Stakes (G1) in May, with a spectacular Betfred Derby (G1) success and a workmanlike victory in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown last month. The son of Justify has never faced a field with this much depth, and there is no doubt it would be a career-best effort if he could add a fourth Group 1 to his resume on Wednesday.
Aidan O’Brien, who also runs likely pace-setter Hans Andersen (GB), is just one win away from being the most successful trainer in the history of this famous contest. He has won the Juddmonte International Stakes six times and a win on Wednesday would take him past Sir Michael Stoute.
O’Brien said: “We’ve been happy with City of Troy since the Eclipse. He’s a horse who has always captured everybody’s imagination and he’s in very good order at the moment. Things didn’t work in his favor at Sandown for him to show off his strengths, but we were happy with what he did and delighted with him in the Derby before that and have been looking forward to York for a long time.”
H H Aga Khan’s 3-year-old gelding Calandagan (IRE) blew away his rivals by 6 lengths in the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. The versatile son of Gleneagles (IRE) will experience his first taste of top-level action as he goes in search of a fourth consecutive victory. His trainer Francis-Henri Graffard has already tasted Group 1 success on these shores last month courtesy of Goliath (GER) in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1). The Jerome Reynier-trainedZarakem (FR) is also making the trip across the English Channel from France.
Juddmonte has chosen to run their star filly Bluestocking (GB) against the colts rather than wait for Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks (G1). The Ralph Beckett-trained 4-year-old won the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes (G2) on her seasonal comeback over course and distance and was last seen finishing second to Goliath in the King George at Ascot. She is the only filly in the line-up.
The Gredley Family’s Ambiente Friendly (IRE) comes into this race after finishing second behind City of Troy in the Derby at Epsom and third in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1). Meanwhile, Jeff Smith’s Ghostwriter (IRE) will also renew his rivalry with City of Troy after only being beaten 2 lengths by O’Brien’s charge at Sandown in the Eclipse.
Shadwell Estate Company Limited’s Alflaila (GB) holds an incredible record at York winning four times from five starts, which includes defeating a competitive field over this distance last time in the Sky Bet York Stakes (G2).
Two horses stepping up in distance from 1 mile are Docklands (GB), who was last seen finishing second to Charyn (IRE) in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1), and the William Haggas-trained Maljoom (IRE), who was runner-up to Notable Speech (GB) in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood last month.
Kikuka Sho (G1) winner Durezza (JPN) will make his UK debut and Israr (GB) and Royal Rhyme (IRE) complete the line-up.
Ruling Court Leads Field of 11 in Acomb Stakes
Godolphin’s €2.3m purchase Ruling Court is the headline name in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes.
The son of Justify was sent off at odds of 4-9 at Sandown last month, and despite signs of immaturity in the early stages of the race, he ultimately drew clear of his rivals in taking style to score by 5 1/2 lengths.
His trainer Charlie Appleby, who has never won the Acomb Stakes, said: “I was very pleased with what he did on debut, and it is always a bit different when you have an expensive breeze-up horse compared to an expensive sales horse. The pencil plan was always to go to Sandown – we always hoped he would do what he did – and then go on to the Acomb.”
Aidan O’Brien recently passed £5 million in prize money in Britain this season and will be strongly represented at York this week. He has chosen to run The Lion in Winter (IRE), a maiden winner on debut at The Curragh. Ryan Moore will take the ride on the son of Sea The Stars (IRE).
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Juddmonte International Stakes to start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, and the winner of the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes to start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Stakes. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 21 to receive the rewards.
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