Youngsters have Words With Their Elders
The Group One showpiece sees a field of eight runners, seven of whom have won at the highest level. Together they have won £15m in prize money and they will be collectively become richer by £1m after this 2000m middle distance race.
The event is headlined not by the Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow but by the unbeaten
Poet’s Word owned by UAE national Saeed Suhail. This win can cement his status as the star horse of this Flat season.
The son of Poet’s Voice beat Cracksman on merit in the Gr.1 Prince of Wales Stakes and then followed it up with exhilarating effort to reel in Crystal Ocean in the King George. Sir Michael Stoute is already the leading trainer in this race’s history. Poet’s Word can give him a seventh success.
John Gosden brings ‘double trouble’ to the field with his twin contenders, Coral-Eclipse winner Roaring Lion and Without Parole. After a spectacular win in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot had to surrender his unbeaten record in the Sussex Stakes.
Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor brings Thunder Snow who will be having his first outing since romping home in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March, as well as Gr.1 Dubai Turf winner Benbatl who was last seen sweeping the Gr.1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich last month.
The world simply wanted to see Thunder Snow resurface after a superbly dominant lifetime-best performance in the $10 million Dubai World Cup. His goal is to return to the dirt in the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Classic. The son of Helmet is be expected to be forwardly placed, but not necessarily on the lead.
Saeed Bin Suroor has enjoyed four International triumphs, via Halling (1995, 1996), Sakhee (2001) and Sulamani (2004).
"They are two unbelievable horses and you shouldn’t ignore Benbatl. He’s in great order,” Jockey Osin Murphy said. Jim Crowley has come in for the ride on Benbatl and will be hoping to repeat his International success of 12 months ago, when he guided Ulysses to victory.
Latrobe may be the most dangerous, having had a helpful break since his Irish Derby win.
It should be a nail biting finish.
Click here to watch Juddmonte International Stakes winner race 2017
Full Finishing List With Trainer & Jockey 2017 :
1st Ulysses (S. Stoute, J. Crowley), 2nd Churchill (A. O'Brien, R. Moore), 3rd Barney Roy (R. Hannon, Jr, J. Doyle), 4th Cliffs Of Moher (A. O'Brien, S. Heffernan), 5th Decorated Knight (R. Charlton, A. Atzeni), 6th Shutter Speed (J. Gosden, F. Dettori), 7th My Dream Boat (C. Cox, A. Kirby)
Full Runner List With Trainer & Jockey:
1.Benbatl (S. Suroor ,J. Crowley), 2. Poet's Word (S. Stoute ,J. Doyle), 3. Thundering Blue (D. Menuisier ,F. Berry ), 4. Thunder Snow (S. Suroor ,C. Soumillon), 5. Latrobe (J. O'Brien ,W. Lordan), 6. Roaring Lion (J. Gosden ,O. Murphy), 7. Saxon Warrior (A. O'Brien,R. Moore), 8. Without Parole (J. Gosden ,F. Dettori)
Race Info:
Distance: 1m 2f 56y (2,063 m), Surface: Turf, Track: Left-handed, Qualification: Three-years-old and up, Weight: 8 st 13 lb (3yo);9 st 6 lb (4yo+),Allowances,3 lb for fillies and mares, Purse: £1,062,500 (2018),1st: £602,544
Credit: Ritesh Jamkhedkar ritesh.jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com