City Of Troy to headline an excellent Ebor meeting

The QIPCO British Champions Series rolls into York on the 21st of August with four top-class contests taking place over the course of the meeting. Stellar fields look to be the trend of the week as the Juddmonte International, Petemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup and Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe are all up for grabs.

Troy to continue Coolmore’s command of middle distance division in the Juddmonte International?

Aidan O’ Brien has established a tight stranglehold on the middle distance division of the QIPCO British Champions Series in 2024 and looks likely to be represented by none other than City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International Stakes.

The highest rated two-year-old in any racing jurisdiction across the globe in 2023, City Of Troy brushed off his Guineas disappointment in remarkable fashion, running out a dominant winner of the Betfred Derby before battling tenaciously to notch a quickfire Group 1 double in the Coral-Eclipse last month. The prolific son of Justify will look to emulate Sea The Stars in taking the Epsom Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International all in the same season, an incredibly rare accomplishment.

Whilst widely expected to take all the beating in York’s £1.25m showpiece, the Coolmore colt will have to fend off a strong, internationally flavoured field to have his name etched on the trophy. Amongst the chief dangers is Francis Henri-Graffard’s Calandagan, who ran out an imperious winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Ascot’s Royal meeting earlier this summer.

An improved performer as a three-year-old, the long striding son of Gleneagles kicked off his campaign with two comprehensive Group 3 victories at Paris-Longchamp before careering clear to register a devastating six length demolition of a strong looking field last time out. That was a marked career best and connections have indicated that the gelding is likely to make his step up to Group 1 company at York in just under two weeks time.

Another intended international challenger is Durezza, the lightly raced winner of the Japanese St Leger in 2023. Trained by Tomohito Ozeki, the four-year-old has recently arrived in Britain in order to ramp up his preparations and rates a threat to all given his stamina is likely to be drawn out on the Knavesmire.

Other contenders include the Shadwell duo of Alflaila and Israr, whilst Clive Cox looks set to be represented by his 2023 Royal Lodge champion, Ghostwriter.

Bluestocking bids to give Beckett maiden Yorkshire Oaks success

On Thursday of York’s four day Ebor meeting, Bluestocking will likely head up a strong field in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks. A reformed character in 2024, the daughter of Camelot showed marked improvement to win the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies Stakes at this venue in May before notching a first success at the highest level in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh in the following month.

An excellent runner-up to Goliath in the King George VII and Queen Elizabeth Stakes after that, Ralph Beckett’s stable star has continued to maintain excellent form and will likely head to York before possible Group 1 assignments at Newmarket and Ascot beckon towards the back end of the season.

The stiffest challenge to Juddmonte’s mare will likely come from Qatar Racing’s Queen Of The Pride. An upwardly mobile sort, John & Thady Gosden’s daughter of the late great Roaring Lion has shown progressive form, landing a pair of Group contests at Haydock, the latter being the valuable Group Two Lancashire Oaks. The four-year-old showed her rivals a clean pair of heels that day, careering away to beat the re-opposing Tiffany by three lengths in the style of a smart performer.

Although not in the same rich vein of form as during past seasons, the Gosden team have also entered Emily Upjohn whilst 2023 Prix De L’Opera Longines runner-up Jackie Oh also looks an intended runner. Both will have to improve on their most recent starts to challenge for Group 1 glory on this occasion however.

Lonsdale brings together the best of long distance division once more

The Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup is one of the feature races on day three of the meeting and has attracted an incredibly strong field of prospective runners at the initial entry stage.

The undisputed king of the QIPCO British Champions Series stayers in 2024 has been Aidan O’ Brien’s Kyprios who will be looking to make it three from three in this years division. Having regained his Gold Cup crown in gritty and determined fashion at Ascot in June, the son of Galileo was able to brush his rivals aside in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup last month to record a memorable Group 1 double, taking his top-level tally to six in the process. Coolmore are also likely to be represented by another Goodwood winner in the shape of the progressive Jan Brueghel, a lightly raced three-year-old stayer to note for the future.

Another operation with strong representation is the John & Thady Gosden yard with the talented trio of Arrest, Gregory and Sweet William entered for the valuable Group 2 contest. Placed in both stayers division Group 1’s this summer, the Philippa Cooper owned Sweet William is a consistent performer and arguably represents the strongest challenge to Kyprios once more.

Three-time Group 1 winner Trueshan looks set to line up, as do the Willie Mullins pair of Absurde and Vauban, the former an excellent winner of the Ebor itself at this meeting last year. 2023’s runaway Goodwood Cup winner Quickthorn will attempt to make all to give trainer Hughie Morrison a second win in the race whilst fellow Berkshire handler Andrew Balding is double-handed with consistent Coltrane and the improving Alsakib both set to make the trip to the North.

Nunthorpe to see a thrilling third round of summer sprinting saga

The biggest battle of the QIPCO British Champions Series looks set to renew for a third and final time as sprinting sensation Big Evs and Australian raider Asfoora both head to the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on the 23rd of August.

Henry Dwyer’s Asfoora struck the first blow in June, producing a devastating turn of foot to put her rivals to the sword in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot under Oisin Murphy. Breeders Cup winning Big Evs finished third after a tight tussle with the daughter of Flying Artie within the final few furlongs.

Round two was to produce a different result though, as Mick Appleby’s stable star blasted out of the stalls and kept up the gallop for the duration of the Five furlong trip to get the better of his Southern Hemisphere rival in the Qatar King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. Murphy’s mare finished quickly on that occasion having met significant trouble in running and with the score at one apiece, both sets of connections have committed to a final QIPCO British Champions Series showdown on the Knavesmire.

The duelling duo are unlikely to have it all their own way however, with a multitude of star sprinters also en-route to the £500,000 highlight. 2023 Kings Stand Stakes hero Bradsell will represent the productive Archie Watson yard whilst a quintet of winners at the highest level in Regional, Bucanero Fuerte, Live In The Dream, Art Power and Khaadem who round off what looks set to be an immeasurably competitive field.