Australia rolls in the Juddmonte International

A reputation can be made easily, but real achievements have to be earned on the track. At York on Wednesday, Australia proved his merit as a Coolmore champion in definitive fashion by winning the Juddmonte International Stakes.

While hardly short on accolades, and with English and Irish Derby already under his belt, the chestnut has still been burdened with the mantle of trainer Aidan O’Brien’s “best ever” Flat horse since the latter part of his two-year-old days.

Dropping back to a mile and a quarter, Australia not only brushed aside the French Derby winner The Grey Gatsby by two lengths, but left experienced Group One-class elders Telescope and Mukhadram treading water on the exacting plain of the Knavesmire.

While Joseph O’Brien starved to his absolute minimum weight of 8st 12lb, it must concern connections of other leading protagonists that the jockey’s father reported Australia to have been eating rather more substantially and had ballooned to as much as 20 kilograms heavier than he was at Epsom.