The largest prize pot that has ever been on offer for Juddmonte International and that injection in prize money has been reflected in the 13-strong field.
Juddmonte’s own Frankle took this back in 2012, but will we see anything come close to what he did back then?
The Derby hero City Of Troy, who has been compared to Frankle for most of his career will look to add the Juddmonte to his glittering profile, while the French raider and emphatic King Edward VII Stakes Calandagan will look to take the prize back to France. But is he the main French hope?
With Juddmonte’s star filly Bluestocking having every chance of taking home the spoils for the sponsors, we are in for what should be a vintage renewal of the Juddmonte International.
Here is our runner-by-runner betting guide to the 2024 Juddmonte International with odds and offers from the best horse bookmakers.
Juddmonte International Stakes – Runner by runner betting guide
Here’s my runner by runner guide for Juddmonte International Stakes.
🏇 12 – City Of Troy (5)
- Runner: City Of Troy
- Weight: 9st 1lb
- Age: 3
- Form: 11-911
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Betting Odds: 5/4
Last season’s champion two-year-old will look to add his name to the list of Derby winners who have completed this lucrative double. The likes of Authorized, Sea The Stars and Australia spearheading the list of horses to have achieved this feat.
After a shock defeat in the 2000 Guineas where City Of Troy finished 9th of 11, he bounced back to form with a bang in the Derby, running away to win by an easy 2¾ lengths from the reposing Ambiente Friendly.
He followed that up with a less-than-impressive win over Al Riffa and Ghostwriter in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown. Ground was used as the excuse on the day, so there should be no excuses here with the ground expected to be on the faster side of good.
For all that he is the clear highest rated in the field and should win, the short price is enough to look at an each way alternative.
✅Has shown that he is a superstar
✅Clear on ratings
✅May not have seen the best of him yet
❌He is not bombproof
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on City Of Troy with talkSPORT BET 🐎
🏇 11 – Clanadagan (7)
- Runner: Clanadagan
- Weight: 9st 1lb
- Age: 3
- Form: 1-2111
- Jockey: Stephane Pasquier
- Trainer: F-H Graddard
- Betting Odds: 7/1
Clanadgan will look to become the first French-trained horse since 1987 to take the Juddmonte, and on the back of a facile win in the King Edwards VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, he has every chance of doing so.
The King Edward VII stakes has been a happy hunting ground for future Group 1 winners with five of the last six winners have go on to do so.
He takes a drop in trip here which may not be ideal for a horse who finished so powerfully over 1m4f at Royal Ascot, so the worry will be that he may be outpaced when the pace lifts.
Overall, he has a very progressive profile but will need to find another big jolt of improvement to bring this prize back to France.
✅On top of his game
✅Impressive at Royal Ascot
✅No ground worries
❌Drop in trip
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Clanadagan with BetMGM 🐎
🏇 10 – Ambiente Friendly (2)
- Runner: Ambiente Friendly
- Weight: 9st 1lb
- Age: 3
- Form: 3-4123
- Jockey: Robert Havlin
- Trainer: James Fanshawe
- Betting Odds: 15/2
Ambiente Friendly is very much a horse who is starting to get tagged as a bridle merchant.
Having been the last off the bridle in the English and Irish Derby, he has not gone through with his finishing effort and got outstayed by City Of Troy at Epsom, and the same faith awaited him behind Los Angles and Sunway at the Curragh.
Whether that is a lack of staying power, or he just does all his best work on the bridle, this run will tell a lot.
He drops down 2f here and if he is ever to show that he is not a bridle horse, then this is his chance.
He comes in her fresh, but with so many questions for him to answer in a field of this quality, I will be against him.
✅Drop in trip
❌Doesn’t find much off the bridle
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Ambiente Friendly with Spreadex 🐎
🏇 9 – Bluestocking (4)
- Runner: Bluestocking
- Weight: 9st 5lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 22-112
- Jockey: Rossa Ryan
- Trainer: Ralph Beckett
- Betting Odds: 8/1
The fact that connections have opted to run Bluestocking here instead of the Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday speaks volumes of what they think of her.
A frustrating 3-year-old season was put behind her this season with performances that have shown her to be a top-class filly in the making.
She started off the season over course and distance where she bolted up in the Middleton Stakes, and then took another big leap forward when somehow overhauling Emily UpJohn in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.
Bluestocking had her first dabble against the boys in the King George resulting in her beating everything bar an impressive Goliath over 2f further, cementing her rise through the rankings.
This is another big step up for her, but it’s not unsurmountable that this thriving filly can put in another career-best performance over a course and distance that she has already tasted success.
A talented filly with a lot more to offer. A big player here.
✅Course and distance winner.
✅Improving with each run
✅Ground versatile
❌Has been beaten against the boys this season
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Bluestocking with VBET 🐎
🏇 1 – Alflaila (11)
- Runner: Alflaila
- Weight: 9st 8lb
- Age: 5
- Form: /15-41
- Jockey: Jim Crowley
- Trainer: Owen Burrows
- Betting Odds: 10/1
Very much a course specialist with form figures of 2111 from four visits to the Knavesmire.
It’s very much a positive that Alflaila get to tackle Group 1 company at York as the previous two times that he has been handed a Group 1 assignment away from York, he has come up short. Both times he had to settle for 5th in the Irish Champions Stakes and 4th in the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot both won by Auguste Rodin.
He did well to win from off the pace last time in a race that was run at a crawl, but there will be no fear of that here today.
It would be a shock were he do win given he has to give away 7lb to some top class 3-year-olds, but is not without an each way chance.
✅Course specialist
❌Has twice fallen short at Group 1 level
❌Must give 7lb to top class 3-year-olds
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Alflaila with Sky Bet 🐎
🏇 8 – Zarakem (9)
- Runner: Zarakem
- Weight: 9st 8lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 16-182
- Jockey: Maxime Guyon
- Trainer: J Reynier
- Betting Odds: 16/1
Having racked up five wins on the bounce last season Zarakem was soon snapped up by current connections for no less than €500,000.
He has had a productive season up to now with a Group 2 win over Horizon Dore at Longchamp, before coming up short in the Group 1 Prix Ganay and then beaten all bar Auguste Rodin in the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot.
This French raider comes here as very much a force to be reckoned with.
✅Progressive profile
✅Group 1 place
✅Has form on all types of ground
❌Can throw in a bad run out of nowhere
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Popmaster with Paddy Power 🐎
🏇 13 – Ghostwriter (13)
- Runner: Ghostwriter
- Weight: 9st 1lb
- Age: 3
- Form: 11-443
- Jockey: Richard Kingscote
- Trainer: Clive Cox
- Betting Odds: 20/1
Unbeaten as a three-year-old, Ghostwriter has yet to kick onto the heights that he promised to reach at the end of last season.
He has run with credit in all three starts this season, namely when getting to within 2 lengths of City Of Troy in the Coral Eclipse.
He has time and scope on his side to improve as time goes on, but he will need to make another sizable step forward here to reverse form with City Of Troy who did underperform when they met at Sandown.
Should find a few too good here.
✅Not the finished article
❌Failed three times at Group 1 level this season
Star Rating: ⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Ghostwriter with Betfred 🐎
🏇6 – Maljoom (8)
- Runner: Maljoom
- Weight: 9st 8lb
- Age: 5
- Form: /5-332
- Jockey: Tom Marquand
- Trainer: Harry Eustace
- Betting Odds: 28/1
It was nice to see the return to form for Maljoom when running his best race for some time to get within 1½ lengths of Notable Speech in the Sussex Stakes. He now takes a step up in trip him in more hope than confidence.
His pedigree does not suggest that he will be suited to this trip, and in a race of this nature where he is stepping up in trip as well as giving weight away, he becomes easy to pass over.
Don’t rule him out if he drops in trip/class next time up.
✅Coming back to form
❌Step up in trip
Star Rating: ⭐
🐎 Bet on Maljoom with talkSPORT BET 🐎
🏇2 – Docklands
- Runner: Docklands
- Weight: 9st 8lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 63-222
- Jockey: Hayley Turner
- Trainer: Harry Eustace
- Betting Odds: 33/1
Docklands has taken his form to a new level this season when chasing home Charyn in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, and that form is working out quite well.
Charyn has followed up in the Jacques le Marois, and the third home, Majloom chased home Notable Speach in the Sussex Stakes. The fifth, Auduence, has since gone on to bolt up in the Lennox Stakes give his Royal Ascot run another boost.
He may not be the flashiest horse in training, but he is quietly improving away this season, and there is hope that this trip will bring forth more improvement.
A big each way player at the prices.
✅His Group 1 2nd has worked out well
✅Step up in trip may suit
❌May struggle for the win purpose
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
🐎 Bet on Docklands with BetMGM 🐎
🏇 3 – Durezza (6)
- Runner: Durezza
- Weight: 9st 8lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 111-20
- Jockey: Christophe-Patrice Lemaire
- Trainer: Tomohito Ozeki
- Betting Odds: 33/1
Japan went close to winning the 2005 running of the Juddmonte International with Zenno Rob Roy and will look to go one place better here.
Durezza had a productive 2023 with four wins including an emphatic win in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger), but he looks a shell of his former self this season with two comprehensive defeats.
It would take a massive turnaround in form were he to play a part in the finish here.
✅Has it in him to run well
❌Has looked a shell of his former self
Star Rating: ⭐
🐎 Bet on Durezza with Spreadex 🐎
🏇 5 – Israr (1)
- Runner: Israr
- Weight: 9st 8lb
- Age: 5
- Form: 2-9321
- Jockey: William Buick
- Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- Betting Odds: 33/1
A good winner of the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot takes the step back into Group 1 company, but he is out of his depth here.
It would be a massive shock were he to add his name to Shadwells winners of the Juddmonte International.
✅Good winner last time out
❌One win from eight Group races
Star Rating: ⭐
🐎 Bet on Israr with VBET 🐎
🏇 7 – Royal Rhyme (10)
Runner: Royal Rhyme
Weight: 9st 8lb
Age: 4
Form: 15-154
Jockey: Clifford Lee
Trainer: Karl Burke
Betting Odds: 66/1
All his best form has been with cut in the ground and with that unlikely here scuppers the little hope that Royal Rhyme had of playing a part in the finish here.
Best to look elsewhere.
✅Would love the thunderstorms to come
❌Has shown that he is not up to this level
Star Rating: ⭐
🐎 Bet on Royal Rhyme with Sky Bet 🐎
🏇 4 – Hans Anderson (3)
- Runner: Hans Anderson
- Weight: 9st 8lb
- Age: 4
- Form: 156959
- Jockey: Wayne Lordan
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Betting Odds: 200/1
One of the most expensive pacemakers in the business has one job, and one job only, and that is to set the pace for City Of Troy.
✅There are none
❌A known Ballydoyle pacemaker
Star Rating: ⭐
🐎 Bet on Hans Anderson with Paddy Power 🐎
Juddmonte International Stakes Betting Verdict
For all that an on-song City Of Troy should take this, I think a lot of value lies with the filly BLUESTOCKING.
She has shown that she is progressing at a rate of knots this season and should City Of Troy not run to his top-class level, then she will be there, ready to take full advantage of it.
Docklands at a bigger price is one that can run into a place with the step up in trip likely to bring out more improvement.
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).
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