City Of Troy is among a competitive field of 16 for what promises to be a standout race of the season, the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday.
Aidan O’Brien’s Derby and Eclipse winner faces his toughest test yet, competing against a blend of new Classic generation rivals and a top-quality group of older horses. O’Brien has also included Continuous, Hans Andersen, and Los Angeles among the confirmations.
France presents strong contenders with Calandagan, who impressed at Royal Ascot for Francis-Henri Graffard, and Zarakem, trained by Jerome Reynier, who was the runner-up in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
Durezza, the Japanese St Leger winner, aims to make up for Zenno Rob Roy’s narrow defeat in 2005. Top filly Bluestocking remains a potential entry, while Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly is expected to benefit from the drop in trip, according to James Fanshawe.
Owen Burrows’ Alflaila, a three-time Group race winner at York, and Clive Cox’s Ghostwriter, who was close behind City Of Troy in the Eclipse, are also strong challengers.
Quality contenders like Maljoom, Israr, Docklands, and Royal Rhyme are available at long odds, underscoring the strength of the field.
White Birch could further enhance the race’s quality, pending a key gallop on Friday to determine his participation. The four-year-old has not raced since defeating Auguste Rodin in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in May. He missed the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Eclipse due to health issues.
George Murphy, assistant trainer to his father John, stated on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “White Birch is in very good form. He’s scheduled for a workout tomorrow with Colin Keane, and we’ll decide after that whether he will run at York or go straight to the Irish Champion Stakes. We’ll finalise our plans based on his performance in the workout. He’s had a brief break, which was likely beneficial, and we’re focused on major races later in the year, including the Arc, the Irish Champion Stakes, and the English Champion Stakes. We’ll have a clearer picture in the next few days. He’s in excellent shape, and we’ll see how things unfold.”