Steve Ryder previews the Juddmonte International Stakes and picks out his best bet.
Juddmonte International StakesSee All Odds
The Juddmonte International Stakes a Group 1 run at York over 1m2f. There are currently 30 entries for the race which this scheduled to be run on Wednesday 19th August at 3:35.
Juddmonte International Stakes Trends & Stats
Dahlia (1974 & 1975), Ezzoud (1993 & 1994) and Halling (1995 & 1996) all won this race in successive seasons and Ombudsman is bidding to repeat that feat this year.
- All 12 of the previous 12 winners had at least 3 runs that season
- 11 of the previous 12 winners had already won a Group 1
- 10 of the previous 12 winners were rated 120 or higher
- 8 of the previous 12 winners won last time out
- 7 of the previous 12 winners were aged four or older
Juddmonte International Stakes 2026 Odds
Juddmonte International Stakes 2026 Runners Guide
OMBUDSMAN
Consistent five-year-old who has won nine of his twelve career starts and finished 2nd on the three other occasions. The John & Thady Gosden trained star was an impressive 3 ½ length winner of this race last season and has returned this year winning all three of his starts. His latest four length success in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes was a career best performance and he should hold strong claims of winning this race for a second year in a row.
CONSTITUTION RIVER
Narrowly beaten by Distant Storm (placed in both the 2000 Guineas and Irish 2000 Guineas) on his debut, the Aidan O’Brien trained has won his other five career starts. An impressive winner of the Dee Stakes at Chester on his reappearance, he has won the Prix Du Jockey Club and Coral Eclipse on his next two starts and gets a handy 7lbs from his elders.
ITEM
Unbeaten in his two starts as a juvenile, the Andrew Balding trained colt won the Dante Stakes on his reappearance by 2 ¾ lengths when the subsequent Derby winner Christmas Day was back in third. He could only finish 9th at Epsom when inconvenienced by the soft ground and longer trip but became the first three-year-old since 2006 to win the York Stakes over this course and distance last time. He is 2/2 over this course and distance at Group 2 level but now needs to prove he can compete in this high-class Group 1.
ALMAQAM
Ed Walker trained five-year-old who gained his first Group 1 success in the Tattersalls Gold Cup on his reappearance when beating subsequent Coronation Cup winner Bay City Roller by two lengths. He could only finish 4th beaten 7 ½ lengths by Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time and he is likely to encounter good to firm ground once again.
Juddmonte International Stakes Trainers Jockeys To Watch
Aidan O’Brien has won this race a record seven times with Giant's Causeway (2000), Duke of Marmalade (2008), Rip van Winkle (2010), Declaration of War (2013), Australia (2014), Japan (2019) and City of Troy (2024) all winning for the trainer. John & Thady Gosden also have a good recent record winning this race with Roaring Lion (2018), Mishriff (2021), Mostahdaf (2023) and Ombudsman (2025).
Ryan Moore has won this race three times recently on Notnowcato (2006), Japan (2019) and City Of Troy (2024). William Buick has won it twice on Ghaiyyath (2020) and Ombudsman (2025).
Betting Insights for the Juddmonte International Stakes
This race looks set to be dominated by either the Aidan O’Brien or John & Thady Gosden stable once again and preference goes to last year’s winner OMBUDSMAN (best priced at EVENS) who comes into the race off the back of a career best performance in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. The five-year-old was beaten in the Eclipse in between these two races last season but connections have decided to come back here fresh this year.
Both Ombudsman and Constitution River have pacemakers entered at this stage and it will be a fascinating race to watch tactically but I feel last year’s winner has a better turn of foot and can pounce late under William Buick.
