Ebor Festival 2024 Tips - August 21-24

2024 Juddmonte International Stakes News - Quotes from connections

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 20 Aug 2024

Jon Vine 20 Aug 2024

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Quotes from connections ahead of the 2024 Juddmonte International Stakes
This Group One headlines day one of Ebor Festival at York on Wednesday 21st August
Read quotes from Aidan O'Brien, Francis Henri-Graffard, James Fanshawe and more

The International Stakes at York. (Getty)

York Quotes

Aidan O'Brien (City Of Troy)
Francis-Henri Graffard (Calandagan)
James Fanshawe (Ambiente Friendly)
Jerome Reynier (Zarakem)
Ralph Beckett (Bluestocking)
Alflaila (Owen Burrows)
Clive Cox (Ghostwriter)
Harry Eustace (Docklands)
William Haggas (Maljoom)
Yusake Sai (Racing Manager for Durezza's owners)
Richard Hills (Racing Manager for Israr's owners)

Quotes from connections ahead of the 2024 Juddmonte International Stakes, which takes place at York on Wednesday.

Read what the connections of this year's contenders have had to say, before their stable stars take part at York.

2024 International Stakes News - Quotes From Connections

Aidan O'Brien (City Of Troy)

He's good. We've been happy with him since the Eclipse. He's always been a horse that's captured everybody's imagination. He's in very good order at the moment. He's strong in his work and everything's going good.

At Sandown, things maybe didn't work in his favour to show off his strengths, but we were very happy with what he did. We always thought York would be a track that suits him. It's a big, open, galloping track. Class usually outs at York and there's usually an even pace on. We've been looking forward to (the Juddmonte International) for a long time now.

He's kind of been unique all the way along. These top horses have so much ability, and that ability gets them a long way. To get them to the finished article you have to help them, show them things that they can do and not do. This horse is so strong and so powerful when he gets up into the gallop, you've got to try and have him so he can control himself a little bit.

Francis-Henri Graffard (Calandagan)

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.

James Fanshawe (Ambiente Friendly)

Ambiente has taken a bit of figuring out and I think everybody landed on the same idea that hopefully a mile and a quarter, a strongly-run race left-handed, should suit him.

Whether he’s good enough to win it, that’s another matter. But he is in really good order. He worked yesterday on the July Course. Rab rang me – he was really happy with him. He showed a bit of turn of foot there that he hadn’t shown him before, so all systems go.

The main thing, he’s really relaxed. He can get a bit revvy, but Rab says every time he goes and rides him, he’s noticeably getting more and more grown up. That’s hopefully a good thing for the future as well.

undefined — Ambiente Friendly (second left) and Los Angeles (right) finishing behind City Of Troy in the Epsom Derby. (Getty)

Jerome Reynier (Zarakem)

They are talking about the hottest race of the year. We are not very far from it. It is going to be a very strong test.

Obviously, he ran a really good race at Royal Ascot and he showed he was able to deal with the fast ground at the highest level. We are going to wait at the back for some pace and hopefully we will be finishing as fast as the other day.

It was a long trip (to Ascot) and he had to recover from it. He looks amazing and he’s been training very well. We are really looking forward to seeing him again in England and his final target will be the Arc in early October and we thought this was the perfect race to use as a trial.

We are going to try our best to be the most competitive we can. There’s a long straight and he’s been handling Longchamp heavy ground and fast ground at Ascot, so he’s shown he’s very versatile and there shouldn’t be any issue with the racetrack.

Ralph Beckett (Bluestocking)

It wasn’t really a difficult decision. The owners (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.

Alflaila (Owen Burrows)

He’s on track for the International, he’s very well and is such a good-looking horse.

He’s a horse that hadn’t run for such a long time at the start of the season, Jim (Crowley) mentioned that he might just come forward for that run at York.

It was very tactical, so I felt he did well to win, the Juddmonte is shaping up as a race that should be run at a good gallop and that will suit him.

York suits him too, that nice long straight just lets him find his pace, because nothing’s instant with him. He does take a bit of time to pick up, but he’s a very honest horse and he always hits the line very strong.

Clive Cox (Ghostwriter)

I think we were close enough last time that it keeps us hopeful that we can run a similar sort of contest. The rain that fell the night before at Sandown would’ve taken a little bit of impact from our performance. So, I hope that we can look forward to coming up to York on some nice ground.

He’s a horse that we’ve been pleased with his progress. Unbeaten at two and so far this year he has run with huge credit.

Stepping up to a mile and a quarter, he ran very well in the Eclipse against City of Troy and also Al Riffa, who franked the form yesterday with his Group 1 success in Germany.

So, we bring a good level of form and we’re very much hoping the ground remains drier rather than wetter from his point of view. I’m happy he’s had a good timeframe from his last run to here and he continues to please me with his development, progress and work at home.

He’s in really good order – I’m very happy. We know him really well now and he’s the sort of horse that we have a great routine at home with. Hopefully, that will see him come up to York in good form.

Harry Eustace (Docklands)

He's on track for York and it will be between the Juddmonte International and Strensall Stakes, but we're just beginning to lean towards the Juddmonte. I've always looked forward to getting him up to a mile and a quarter. If he does stay that trip and it brings out a bit more improvement, he could really be quite exciting.

William Haggas (Maljoom)

He was rated 113 after he was fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes in 2022, but he is now up to 119 which is Group One material.

I thought his run at Goodwood in the Sussex Stakes was very good. The fast ground suited him and they went a nice pace, which we weren't expecting, and he ran on well.

We are keeping the blinkers on. They are only very small blinkers, they are little half blinkers, but they just help Tom (Marquand) really.

He will have an entry in the Strensall Stakes as well as if it looks like being wet on the Tuesday and Wednesday and then it looks like being a dry forecast all week he will then go for the Strensall. I really want to get him up in trip though and it would be nice to run him in the Juddmonte.

Yusake Sai (Racing Manager for Durezza's owners)

For me, the International Stakes is the best race in Europe, and we are excited about running – especially against City Of Troy, who looks the best horse in Europe right now.

Winning Group 1's overseas is what we are targeting at Northern Farm. We have sent horses to Dubai and the Breeders' Cup most years.

Equinox was bred by Northern Farm, and he won in Dubai and both Marche Lorraine and Loves Only You won at the Breeders' Cup are also great horses bred by Northern Farm.

Durezza has won the Japanese St Leger, but his other four wins have been around 10 furlongs," said Yusuke Sai, racing manager for Japan's Northern Farm.

He is not a thorough stayer; he has a bit of class. He can stay, but we think 10 furlongs to a mile and a half is his best distance.

Richard Hills (Racing Manager for Israr's owners)

He’s in there on his own merits. Sheikha Hissa took the view that he deserves his chance. He loves fast ground; York will suit him really well and I think he’ll run a big race. He’s in good nick.

It’s been brewing up to be a really good race and I think everybody’s turning up. A great track, the ground’s going to be beautiful – it’s going to be a fantastic race in my opinion.