Juddmonte International Win Enhances Japan Arc Claims

After lowering the colours of the highest rated Flat racehorse in Britain at the Ebor Festival, all roads now lead to France’s most famous race — the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe — for Japan.

The Aidan O’Brien trained three-year-old Galileo colt prevailed in a tussle with Crystal Ocean at York racecourse in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes on the opening day of the four-day festival on the Knavesmire.

Getting 7lb weight-for-age, Japan wore down Sir Michael Stoute’s dual King George runner-up and double Royal Ascot hero close home and won by a head.

A Group 1 victory over an extended 10 furlongs opens doors for the King Edward VII Stakes and Grand Prix de Paris winner, but closes others. Japan cannot do both the St Leger at Doncaster over a trip in excess of a mile-and-three-quarters and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, because the two prestigious races are run on the same day.

While Epsom Derby third Japan was as short as 3/1 with bookmakers for Britain’s oldest Classic, most firms aren’t quoting prices on him heading for the Leger. He’s instead prominent in the Irish Champion market, but the main aim — according to Ballydoyle maestro O’Brien — is the now the Arc.

Japan is 5/1 in the horse racing betting with 888 on Europe’s most prestigious race. Those ante post odds have halved in the wake of his Juddmonte International victory. Weight-for-age will again be a factor in Japan’s favour if he takes up the challenge in Paris at Longchamp racecourse in October.

Dual Arc heroine Enable bids to make history by going for a hat-trick under Frankie Dettori for John Gosden. We didn’t learn a great deal more about the 10-time Group 1 winning wonder mare when she warmed up for Longchamp against her own sex with a second victory in the Yorkshire Oaks some 24 hours after Japan’s win.

All we know for sure is that on race terms, even-money favourite Enable has to give him 3lb. The total weight-for-age between these two Ebor Festival winners in the Arc will be partially offset by a mares’ allowance for Prince Khalid Abdullah’s daughter of Nathaniel.

Japan’s emergence as a serious contender for Longchamp would on the face of it seem to make other Ballydoyle inmates into St Leger contenders for his powerful owners of the Coolmore breeding operation.

These include Il Paradiso which finished a close third to Stradivarius in the Lonsdale Cup at the York Ebor Festival. The three-year-old is a 6/1 shot to win the Doncaster Classic. Another O’Brien stable companion that has come in for support, meanwhile, is Sir Dragonet who finished a couple of places behind but very close to Japan at Epsom.

After demonstrating he lacked the turn of foot to win a Group 3 when dropped back to the Irish Champion Stakes distance at the Curragh, the runaway Chester Vase winner was cut into 10/1 from 16/1 for St Leger success. He has since been confirmed an intended runner for the Doncaster race and is now clear second favourite for the Classic at odds of 7/2. O’Brien must sort out the best of his three-year-olds and finalise plans for their main autumn targets, but Japan is undoubtedly a much-improved horse for his racing.