Ghaiyyath cruises in Juddmonte International, gains Breeders' Cup slot

Godolphin’s Ghaiyyath extended his winning streak to four after galloping his rivals into submission in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York on Wednesday, a victory that secured him a guaranteed start in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic through the international Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge is a series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 6-7.

The Juddmonte International is the first of three Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races to be held this week during York’s Ebor Festival. It will be followed Thursday by the Yorkshire Oaks (G1), a “Win and You’re In” for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and on Friday with the Nunthorpe Stakes (G1). The Nunthorpe winner will earn a free berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

The Juddmonte International is the only “Win and You’re In” qualifying race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic to be run in Europe this year.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, Ghaiyyath, the 11-8 favorite, had already beaten Stradivarius (IRE) in the Coronation Cup (G1) and Enable (GB) in the Coral-Eclipse (G1) so far this season. Using his horse’s speed effectively in the Juddmonte International, jockey William Buick led throughout once again as he defeated a top-class field to win by 3 lengths. It was a first victory in the race for both jockey and trainer.

Behind Ghaiyyath, five-time Group 1 winner Magical (IRE) battled on well for second ahead of Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) winner Lord North (IRE) and QIPCO 2000 Guineas (G1) winner Kameko (USA).

Appleby, a three-time Breeders’ Cup winning trainer, said: “I’m delighted with that. It is an honor to have a horse like this on our hands, and what a fantastic ride by William. It was a lovely race to watch, he got into a lovely rhythm and coming up the straight the others came to challenge, but I was always confident.

“Most importantly, it’s important for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and the team to have a horse like this on our hands. He’s not let us down this year, and as I said right at the start of the year, he’s more the finished article now. I’m just delighted for the whole team.”

When asked whether he’d be tempted to bring Ghaiyyath to the U.S. for the Breeders’ Cup, Appleby identified the Breeders' Cup Turf as the more likely target: “The Breeders' Cup Turf over 1 1/2 miles around two turns would be his gig.”

Ghaiyyath, a 5-year-old bay son of Dubawi (IRE) out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Nightime (IRE), completed the about 1 1/4 miles in 2:07.38 over a course listed as good. Bookmakers SkyBet make Ghaiyyath 4-1, from 13-2, for the Breeders' Cup Turf.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for Ghaiyyath to start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 1/4 miles on the dirt track at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup also will pay the $150,000 in entry fees for Ghaiyyath to run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, should his connections decide to enter that race instead. Breeders’ Cup also will provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must already be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program or it must be nominated by the Championships’ pre-entry deadline of Oct. 26 to receive the rewards.