We are in for a treat.

Godolphin take on Coolmore, with John and Thady Gosden competing against Aidan O’Brien. The Aga Khan Studs and Francois-Henri Gaffard join the battle, alongside the sponsors, Juddmonte. The best teams in England, Ireland, and France will battle it out on the Knavesmire in the season’s best race with a prize fund of £1.5m to be run over 1m2½f.

Both Clarehavan and Ballydoyle are employing pacemakers, Devil’s Advocate for Godolphin and Action and Hawk Mountain for Constitution River.

John and Thady Gosden’s 5yo Ombudsman, the mount of William Buick, has been relentless in getting to the top of racing’s tree. He’s won nine races from twelve outings; he’s been second in the other three. He beat Delacroix by 3½L in this last year. He’s won his three races this year, the G1 Dubai Turf, the G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes, and the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. A comfortable winner at Meydan, workmanlike at Sandown, imperious at Ascot. Devil’s Advocate under Rob Havlin will set the pace.

Aidan O’Brien’s 3yo Constitution River is the young pretender. He receives a 7 lbs weight-for-age allowance. He’ll be ridden by Ryan Moore. The potential shown as a juvenile is being realised in his classic year. The widest draw in 16 proved no issue at Chantilly when coming across to win the G1 Prix du Jockey Club from stablemate Hawk Mountain, the mount of Wayne Lordan. He followed up in the G1 Coral-Eclipse, winning easily with Hawk Mountain finishing third. Action under Ronan Whelan will set the pace.

Andrew Balding 3yo Item, the mount of Colin Keane, hated the ground in the Derby at Epsom, trailing by 26L behind the winner. It is his only bad run. He’s won two G2’s; he won the Dante in May and the York Stakes in July, both here over this trip. His upward trajectory will continue.

Ralph Beckett’s 4yo Pride Of Arras, with Rossa Ryan in the plate, loves York. He won last year’s Dante, and also last year’s G2 Great Voltigeur Stakes here. This year he followed Item home in the York Stakes last time out. He’s yet to prove G1 capability.

Ed Walker’s 4yo Almaqam, with Kieran Shoemark aboard, won the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup in May and was a 7½L fourth behind Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. He was good at the Curragh but couldn’t match the performance at Royal Ascot where the ground was possibly a shade too quick for him. Today’s surface will be more to his liking.

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Francois-Henri Gaffard sends 4yo Zaydaan under Mickael Barzalona. He’s been tenderly handled, five outings last year; he won the last three, culminating in a Listed success. This year, his two runs were a Listed win and a G3 win on soft ground last time out; he has won on good ground and is a bit of an unknown quantity at this level. The trainer used this race to make a man of Daryz last year, where he finished last; however, it proved to be a positive step when he went on to win the Arc.

Conclusion

The lightning-quick ground of the summer is gone. The track is forecast as good, which might just level the playing field.

Last year Ballydoyle didn’t have a pacemaker; Ombudsman did; he pulled 25L clear coming into the straight. It was a master strategic decision by the Gosden’s. The field had let him go. When he began to thread water, William Buick had the favourite moving smoothly and finding top gear. Delacroix was unable to respond.

It’s unlikely we’ll see a repeat. Ballydoyle will keep the pace honest with Action and Hawk Mountain drawing the field in unison. There’ll be no hiding place. It will be a true run, an end-to-end speed test.

When Devil’s Advocate and Action fall away, Hawk Mountain will push on, lifting the tempo even further. Item will give his all, as will Almaqam, Zaydaan, and Pride Of Arras, but they’re unlikely to have the gears to cope with the front two in the market.

When Ryan Moore and William Buick commit, they’ll unleash raw speed to win it. The 7lbs weight allowance may give Constitution River the edge over Ombudsman. Almaqam can finish third.

Recommendation

Constitution River 13/8 win

Almaqam 18/1 ew

Constitution River, Ombudsman, Almaqam (Straight Trifecta)

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