International spotlight: 2025 Juddmonte International at York

August 18th, 2025

This week’s Ebor Festival at York features four Breeders’ Cup Challenge events, two of them on Wednesday’s spectacular opening day card. 

The Juddmonte International (G1) might have only six runners, but the Wednesday highlight is brimming with intrigue. Whether it fulfills its stated role as a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) or not, the about 1 5/16-mile prize promises to have implications for Del Mar and further afield.

Delacroix and Ombudsman, the top two in an Eclipse (G1) thriller last time out, are vying for favoritism. Yet the Juddmonte International is more than a mere rematch between these representatives of rival empires, Coolmore and Godolphin.

Japanese shipper Danon Decile bids to make history for his homeland, 20 years after compatriot Zenno Rob Roy came up just a neck short of glory. High-class filly See the Fire is not only a horse for the course, but she’s literally bred for this race as a daughter of Juddmonte International winners Sea the Stars (2009) and Arabian Queen (2015). Sea the Stars is also the sire of unbeaten French sophomore Daryz, who takes his first Group 1 test.

Before we dive into the Juddmonte storylines, let’s note the other “Win and You’re In” races on tap. Earlier on Wednesday, the Acomb (G3) offers a fees-paid spot in the Juvenile Turf (G1). Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks (G1) serves in the same capacity for the Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and Friday’s Nunthorpe (G1) does so for the Turf Sprint (G1). Saturday’s newly upgraded City of York (G1) is not part of the Challenge series, but the seven-furlong affair is sure to furnish clues for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). 

Juddmonte International storylines

Delacroix and Ombudsman renew rivalry from the Eclipse

Godolphin’s Ombudsman was favored in the Eclipse following his sensational victory in the Prince of Wales’s (G1) at Royal Ascot, where he rallied off a fast pace in his Group 1 debut. The John and Thady Gosden trainee encountered an entirely different scenario in the Eclipse, with a slow early tempo that did not play to his strengths. 

Although Ombudsman kept tabs on the leaders and managed to strike the front in the stretch, he was outkicked late by Aidan O’Brien’s Delacroix. Interestingly, Ombudsman’s only prior loss had come at Sandown too in the May 29 Brigadier Gerard (G3). There were other factors in play that day, but it could be significant that he’s unbeaten away from Sandown. 

If the race shape suited Delacroix in the Eclipse, it hardly tells the whole story of his eventful first try versus older horses. The son of Dubawi and Hall of Famer Tepin was reverting to his optimal 1 1/4-mile trip after a ninth in the Derby (G1) at Epsom. Yet in his previous scores at that distance in a pair of classic trials at Leopardstown, Delacroix had exploited his tactical speed. The Eclipse unfolded in a starkly contrasting manner, as he found himself shuffled back to last. Delacroix showed a new dimension to come flying from an unpromising position in the stretch to nail Ombudsman by a neck at the wire. 

Godolphin adds pacemaker to change equation

If the Juddmonte were run similarly to the Eclipse, Delacroix theoretically should have the advantage again over Ombudsman. The Godolphin brain trust hopes to prevent that by sending Birr Castle over to ensure a genuine pace.

On paper, Birr Castle appears up against it, but after Juddmonte’s ostensible pacemaker Qirat shocked the Sussex (G1) at Glorious Goodwood, maybe we should at least take a look. Based in France with Andre Fabre, Birr Castle has finished third in a trio of Group 2s, notably in the 2023 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (G2) (to Ace Impact and Al Riffa) and last year’s Prix Dollar (G2) (to Jayarebe and Almaqam, who would eventually beat Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard). 

Danon Decile boasts a win over Calandagan, Rebel’s Romance

Danon Decile, last year’s Japanese champion three-year-old colt, takes his game on the road to Europe for the first time. But he has already proven his ability on the world stage by capturing the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on World Cup night, when last seen April 5.

Under a well-judged ride by Keita Tosaki, who rides him back at York, Danon Decile moved at the right time at Meydan. He rolled past globetrotter extraordinaire Rebel’s Romance and got the jump on Calandagan. 

The Sheema Classic form could be especially informative because it ties into last year’s Juddmonte International. Calandagan was runner-up to City of Troy here in course-record time. Moreover, Sheema's third-placer Durezza had been fifth in the 2024 Juddmonte.

The question for Danon Decile is not one of form, but of distance. His marquee wins have come at about 1 1/2 miles, in the Sheema as well as in the 2024 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1). Then again, if Birr Castle makes it a stern enough stamina test, it could play right into the hands of Danon Decile. 

See the Fire sports pedigree, course angles

A decade after Arabian Queen famously shocked Golden Horn in this race, her daughter See the Fire has more to recommend her. The Andrew Balding filly has been holding her own at the highest level throughout her career, including a sneaky fifth in last fall’s Champion (G1) at Ascot (where Calandagan was second) and a third to Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales’s. 

Of greatest import is her fondness for York. See the Fire is not only 2-for-2 over the “Knavesmire,” but she has scored both of her major wins here. She defeated older males in last summer’s Strensall (G3), and in the May 15 Middleton (G2) over the Juddmonte trip, she demolished fellow distaffers by a monstrous 12 lengths. 

If See the Fire can move forward again over her favorite course, she has an upset chance. 

Daryz the super-sub for Calandagan?

Since Calandagan has been busy through the summer, most recently starring in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth (G1), his connections have opted to give him a holiday before ramping up for his fall targets. That decision opened the door for his younger stablemate, Daryz, to try his luck.

A fellow Aga Khan Studs homebred trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Daryz has a different profile. Unlike Calandagan, who had already crossed the Channel to run away with the King Edward VII (G2) at Royal Ascot, Daryz has less experience. He only made his career debut on April 6, but he’s quickly climbed the class ladder.

Daryz extended his record to a perfect 4-for-4 in the June 29 Prix Eugene Adam (G2), arguably winning a bit more cozily than the margin suggests. Still, he’ll need to up his game considerably against a far deeper group here, in a race that will be run at a more demanding pace than his typical French set-up.

Like Delacroix, the only other sophomore in the field, Daryz will receive a seven-pound weight concession from the older males and four pounds from See the Fire. 

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