Item, a 10-1 chance trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Colin Keane, ran down Almaqam in the final strides to win the Juddmonte International Stakes at York today (August 19), with the “Big Two” in the betting, Constitution River and Ombudsman, only third and fourth respectively.
It was not a race that followed the expected script at any stage, as Aidan O’Brien’s Action, the expected pace-maker, missed the kick and left his stable companion, Hawk Mountain, in front with Constitution River much closer to the lead than anticipated in second place.
Ombudsman, meanwhile, was towards the rear, and still in last place as the field turned for home. William Buick struggled to find a clear run towards the lead in the straight, but eventually came with a short-lived challenge against the far rail as Almaqam kicked for home under Kieran Shoemark.
It appeared to be a winning move until well inside the final furlong, but Almaqam started to tire on rain-softened ground as Keane galvanised Item for a final thrust which put him in front by a head at the line.
Item had already won two Group Two events over Wednesday’s track and trip earlier in the season and a disappointing run into ninth in the Derby – which was just the fourth race of his career – remains the only defeat on his six-race career record.
“He’s really a very different horse than the one that ran in the Dante, physically,” Balding said. “I think anything is possible [now], he certainly has no problem staying a mile-and-a-half if he wanted to [but] I just do not know [where he will go next] at this moment in time. We’ve just won a Juddmonte International, that was the plan.”
Item’s victory was only the third in the race for the famous green, white and pink colours of the Juddmonte operation, which has sponsored the International Stakes since 1989.
