Delacroix and Ombudsman – the one-two from last month’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown – will lock horns again in today’s Juddmonte International at York.
The rumour mill went into over-drive on Sunday as bookmakers reported market support for Delacroix’s stable companion Whirl, who was also entered in the Ebor Festival’s day-two feature, but it was the three-year-old colt and Eclipse winner Delacroix who appeared among the six final declarations on Monday morning.
He is the sole representative from Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stable and he’ll look to confirm placings with the John and Thady Gosden-trained Ombudsman, a strikingly impressive winner of the Price of Wales’s Stakes prior to having his colours lowered in Esher.
There is significant interest from overseas with Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile seemingly well-fancied to give the home team a proper test, while the unbeaten colt Daryz flies the flag for France and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard.
There is further French representation as Godolphin’s Birr Castle has been declared by trainer Andre Fabre, with a view to making the pace for owner-mate Ombudsman.
Andrew Balding’s star mare See The Fire completes the select field under champion jockey Oisin Murphy.
Also on day one, there are seven horses in line for the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes, with O’Brien responsible for four of them including dual Derby winner Lambourn.
Ryan Moore’s mount is joined in the line-up by stable companions Mount Kilimanjaro, Stay True and Thrice.
Paddy Twomey’s Queen’s Vase winner Carmers brings an unbeaten record into the mile and a half Group 2, with Dante Stakes winner Pride Of Arras (Ralph Beckett) on a recovery mission after disappointing subsequent efforts at Epsom and the Curragh.
The William Haggas-trained Arabian Force is the final horse declared for the traditional St Leger trial, while the Newmarket trainer runs Santorini Star in the two-mile Sky Bet Stayers Handicap later on the same card.
Godolphin’s Distant Storm heads a field of eight in a competitive renewal of the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes. The two-year-old son of Night Of Thunder was purchased from Newsells Park Stud at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by successful breeze-up operator Cormac Farrell.
Now in the ownership of Godolphin, he made an eye-catching winning debut at Newmarket last month for trainer Charlie Appleby, who is looking forward to his return to action.
Charlie Appleby told Tattersalls: “I’m very pleased with the way he has come out of Newmarket, he ran as we expected and has always shown himself up as a nice horse.
The Acomb was a race we had in mind once he broke his maiden.
The way he’s done since his maiden means we’re going with confidence that he will be a big player.
He’s a horse that’s developing all the time and hopefully looks as though he has got a bright future.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Italy and the David Menuisier-trained Goodwood Galaxy are also in the line-up.
Ahead of the Acomb, Menuisier said: “Goodwood Galaxy won his maiden nicely at Salisbury first time out.
He then ran a stormer in the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and was awarded a rating of 104.
“I think the horse will be better over a mile, but the Acomb falls into the programme better than the mile races so that’s where I’ve decided to go next. He seems in great form.”
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