Juddmonte International

The Juddmonte International returns to York Racecourse on Wednesday 19 August, opening the four-day Sky Bet Ebor Festival. It's a Group 1 mile and a quarter contest, and this year it's the one everyone's talking about: the prize money has risen to £1.5 million, the richest ever staged at York. The big story on the track is a potential clash between Constitution River and Ombudsman, two names that'll be at the front of the betting.

It's a race with a long history, dating back to 1972, and supported by Juddmonte since 1989, when it grew into one of the leading races in the world. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities named it The Longines World's Best Horse Race in 2024, an accolade it also took in 2012 and 2020. The roll of honour reads like a who's who of the turf: Sea The Stars, Frankel, Baaeed and City of Troy have all won it, horses many consider among the greatest thoroughbreds in history.

There's a global angle this year, too. The Japan Racing Association has pushed its incentives: the bonus for any horse winning both the Juddmonte International and the Japan Cup has risen from $3m to $5m, with an additional $2m bonus for any European-placed horse in the Juddmonte who goes on to win the Japan Cup. It's a massive carrot for owners and trainers looking beyond the UK.

And the Juddmonte is just the start. It kicks off the Sky Bet Ebor Festival, which runs for four days and includes the Sky Bet Ebor itself—run since 1843, it's the richest flat handicap in Europe. On the day, gates open at 11:00, the first race is at 13:50, and the last goes off at 17:20.