Juddmonte International: Frankie Dettori delivers Mostahdaf to York glory over Nashwa and Paddington

Mostahdaf (3/1) beat Nashwa, Paddington and The Foxes to win Group One Juddmonte International at York; Frankie Dettori stepped in for the ride in the absence of the banned Jim Crowley; Paddington suffers first defeat of 2023

Frankie Dettori produced yet another stunning ride to get Mostahdaf home in front in the Group One Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

Dettori was always keen to dictate the pace against favourite Paddington, who arrived unbeaten in 2023 having already landed the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes.

The legendary Italian jockey, who was taking part in the race for the final time before retiring at the end of the year, stepped in for the ride to replace Jim Crowley, who is currently serving a whip ban.

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Paddington and Nashwa tracked the pace set by Mostahdaf, with outsider The Foxes never able to get into things.

Aidan O’Brien’s star always looked a bit awkward in behind under Ryan Moore but gave a valiant chase, as Mostahdaf drifted slightly across to the far rail and in front of Hollie Doyle on stablemate Nashwa.

Ultimately, neither had an answer to Mostahdaf who kept finding extra under an ultra-confident Dettori as he registered a length success and followed up the owner’s victory in the Group One contest with the imperious Baaeed 12 months ago.

Nashwa edged her way past Paddington for the silver medal late on as the Clarehaven team enjoyed a fabulous one-two, but the day belonged to Dettori who by winning the race for the first time since 2007, moved past Lester Piggott to become the contest’s leading rider.

Mostahdaf’s success was another high-profile victory in the Shadwell colours in what has been a fine campaign, with Hukum’s King George verdict at Ascot and Al Husn’s Nassau win at Goodwood other moments to savour in recent weeks.

Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold said: “To win the races we’ve done this year has been incredible – the Prince of Wales’s, the King George, the Nassau and this (race). It’s been an amazing year.

“We have to enjoy it and be grateful. This was a proper race. I was sad for York and the crowd there were only four runners, but it was a quality race on paper and it lived up to its billing.

“We knew if we stood any chance of beating Paddington, we had to do something different rather than let him have his own way out in front again.

“Frankie proved a good substitute to have on the day. We weren’t too worried changing tack because this horse has won over a mile and a half, as long as Frankie got the pace right.”

Moore magic gets Continuous home in Great Voltigeur

Ryan Moore produced a sterling ride aboard Continuous as he came from last to first to register an emphatic victory in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the son of Heart’s Cry dead-heated for third in the Dante at the track earlier in the season and was putting his St Leger credentials to the test following a fine effort in defeat behind King Of Steel at Royal Ascot.

Sent off the 4/1 second favourite, he answered every question to throw his hat in the ring for the final Classic of the season in tremendous fashion.

Ridden with real patience by Moore as 8/11 favourite Gregory went for home early under Frankie Dettori, Continuous gradually worked his way through the gears and as Gregory’s challenge began to wane inside the final two furlongs, the Ballydoyle colt was just getting started as he powered clear of runner-up Castle Way for an authoritative three-and-three-quarter-length success.

The winner was cut to 4/1 joint favourite from 12s by Betfair for the St Leger on September 16, with the firm also easing Gregory out to 5/1 for Doncaster after John and Thady Gosden’s charge stayed on for third.

O’Brien said: “He’s a lovely horse who is progressing, he has enough class for a mile and a half and could stay further. He’s an exciting horse really.

“He handles an ease in the ground well as he has a bit of a round action, but that was fast ground there today – Ryan said it was quicker than it was at Royal Ascot – and he didn’t seem to have any problem with it.

“He came here in the Dante and needed the run very badly and ran a massive race. I said to Ryan before the race today ‘would any of those other horses have ran as well in the Dante as he did?’ and he said they wouldn’t. A little bit of class usually outs, especially if the pace is even.

“I asked Ryan about that [the St Leger trip]. He said he doesn’t need a mile and six but he said you wouldn’t rule it out.”

Gosden: Perfect Leger prep for Gregory

John Gosden was pleased with the performance of Gregory in third, and feels the extra distance in the St Leger will be in his favour.

“We felt we couldn’t go from Royal Ascot to the Leger so we had to come here, even with a 3lb penalty,” he said.

“They went a strong pace and there were two others forcing it, but what I loved about it was that a furlong out he got going again.

“To me he’s run the perfect trial for the Leger. I did say to the owners before the race that I’d asked the course executive if they could move the stalls back to the start of the Ebor, but they wouldn’t!

“I couldn’t be more pleased as a Leger prep and you can see by the size of him he’s all about next year, one more run in the Leger and then Cup races next year.”

Bairstow celebrates as Indian Run wins

Indian Run announced himself as a youngster on the rise with a stylish display in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes.

Trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, he was only third on debut at Newbury, but advertised his potential with a clinical win at Ascot next time.

Always travelling strongly on the outside in the hands of Danny Tudhope, he eased to the head of proceedings heading up the Knavesmire straight and the son of Sioux Nation still had plenty up his sleeve at the business end of the contest to repel the challenge of Ballymount Boy as he finished the Group Three contest full of running.

Owned by the Bronte Collection, made up of connections of leading owner Steve Parkin and including England cricket star Jonny Bairstow, the 17/2 scorer could now be set for bigger things and was trimmed to 12/1 from 16s by Paddy Power to follow in the footsteps of last year’s Acomb winner Chaldean and head for Newmarket’s Dewhurst Stakes.

Equilateral, running in his first handicap in the UK, defied top weight in the Sky Bet And Symphony Group-sponsored opener.

Trained by Charlie Hills, the sprinter is now in the veteran stage as an eight-year-old but is clearly still a force to be reckoned with as came out on top in a typically helter-skelter affair.

York specialist Copper Knight made a bold bid but was swamped close home, with Equilateral and Jamie Spencer beating Alligator Alley by a neck with a head back to Jm Jungle.

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