'Danon Decile is just where I want him' - confidence growing in Japanese star's camp ahead of Juddmonte challenge

Source: Racing Post, Scott Burton

11/08/2025

The trainer of Danon Decile believes he has the leading Japanese challenger exactly where he wants him after receiving significant support for the £1.25 million Juddmonte International at York.

An impressive winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic at the expense of King George winner Calandagan and Rebel's Romance in April, Danon Decile has also landed Japan's version of the Derby, the Tokyo Yushun.

His trainer Shogo Yasuda feels that with more experience to his name, the son of Epiphaneia is ready to show his class of the International on Wednesday week, an impression confirmed by a tour on Sunday.

"It is quite a long journey but fortunately we had a good trip and he's settling in very well," Yasuda said on Monday. "Every day he's in better and better condition, and on the mental and physical side he's doing well. He's just where I want him to be right now, so that's a great situation to be in.

"Before I visited York racecourse I had already seen it many times on the TV and on video. When I saw it for real, it matched up straight away with my impressions, and things like the turf conditions were just how I expected. The only question was how to bring over the horse or how to manage the horse; those were the things I had to plan for. So it was good to have a look at the racecourse and get a feel for the situation, so I can try to make him ready for that."

The York executive works closely with Ascot and Goodwood to attract overseas contenders to the biggest races of the British summer, and one of the main selling points put to Japanese trainers is the track's flat nature and long straight, something which should suit a horse whose two Group 1 wins have come at Tokyo and Meydan.

"He has that left-handed success, his Group 1 wins have come going that way," said Yasuda. "So of course that made me think about the International Stakes as a possible target. But that is only one reason to select this race. There are not many good races for Danon Decile in Japan at this stage of the season."

Yasuda, whose father Takehiro guided the career of crack sprinter Lord Kanaloa, is being very selective with Danon Decile and has not even made an entry for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, preferring instead to head back to Japan for lucrative domestic targets such as the Tenno Sho Autumn or the Japan Cup.

The trainer believes Danon Decile is now ready for the extra demands of a top-level Group 1, having first highlighted his preference for a drop back in trip as early as January when his stable star won the Grade 2 American Jockey Club Cup.

"When I spoke about him in January, I was talking about what was right for him mentally, not physically," said Yasuda. "He was still immature and I felt he needed more maturity before tackling a mile and a half again, so maybe at that point 2,000 metres was easier for him.

"We entered him in Dubai and my first choice was the Dubai World Cup [on dirt over a mile and a quarter], but the owner requested that we run in the Dubai Sheema Classic [on turf over a mile and a half]. Of course he ran very well, winning that great race. Now we're coming back to 2,000 metres [a mile and a quarter] and I have real confidence he can deal with that pace because he has become more mentally mature."

Yasuda would not be drawn on who he was most concerned about among his likely rivals, who could include Coral-Eclipse winner Delacroix and Ombudsman.

However, the trainer recognised that going one better than Zenno Rob Roy – who was second to Electrocutionist in the 2005 International – would be a major achievement and also reflect well on Japan more generally. 

"I respect British and European horses because at this kind of level they are all pretty strong, so I will not pick any one horse to beat," said Yasuda.

"But this race has a long history. Also one of the dreams of a lot of Japanese horsemen is to win big races in the UK like the International. We've seen many Japanese horses challenge and still the dream hasn't come true yet. If I win this race it will be very good for Danon Decile’s career. If he happened to win, that would break the ice for Japan."

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Information is provided by the third-party provider and it is intended to be used for reference only. The content and information have not been verified or confirmed by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and/or its affiliates (together, the “HKJC”), and will not be used for dividend payout purposes. HKJC also do not make any representation or warranty about the timeliness, reliability or accuracy of any such information. The data, articles and other information on these pages are provided on an “as is” basis for information purposes only. None of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its affiliates or any other person involved in or related to the compilation of such information guarantees its accuracy or reliability and accepts no liability (whether in tort or contract or otherwise) for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies or omissions.

International challengers prep for York Ebor Festival

Danon Decile, conqueror of Calandagan in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic in April, has arrived in Britain ahead of his intended run in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Wednesday, August 20.

The Japanese star arrived in midweek and enjoyed a taste of the Newmarket gallops, working in company with horses from James Horton’s stable where he is based.

Trainer Shogo Yasuda, who partnered Danon Decile in his workout, said: “We did travel very well, so we’re very satisfied. My training plan between the two weeks from here to York, the main thing is to take care of his mind – make him happy.”

The £1.25milllion Group 1 on the Knavesmire will see Danon Decile coming back in trip to tackle an extended 2000m but that is of no concern to Yasuda.

“I’m not concerned for the shorter distance,” he continued. “I believe he’s got a lot of experience from racing. I’m not worried about the drop in distance. He can adjust pace.”
One international runner who has already had a taste of York is Asfoora who will bid to improve on last season’s fourth in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday, 22 August.

The Henry Dwyer-trained sprinter was said to have lacked ‘traction’ after a slightly disappointing run on the Knavesmire in 2024 but is on course to have another crack at the Group 1 having bounced out of her latest start at Goodwood where she ran seventh in the King George Stakes.

Chenelle Ellis, Asfoora’s groom, said: “She’s going well, I think she’s going as well as she can be. If we get good to fast ground, I think she will be very hard to beat. She’s on-song to run a really big race.”  

Featuring among the opposition is likely to be two runners from the yard of Ed Walker who has three entered in Celandine, last year’s Group 2 Lowther Stakes winner, Mgheera, the Temple Stakes victor, as well as Balmoral Lady.

Walker said: “I think it’s probably unlikely we’ll run all three. It will probably be Celandine and Mgheera – or Balmoral Lady. To be competitive at that level, I think Balmoral Lady needs softer ground.

“Celandine’s in great form. She’s definitely trained on. I’m adamant that she will be comfortable with the five furlongs [1000m]. I feel she just about hangs on over six – like she did in the Lowther – and I’m really excited about seeing her in a strong five furlongs [1000m]. She showed great speed in the Molecomb as a two-year-old. The owners are supportive, so I think we’re going to roll the dice in the Nunthorpe.

“Mgheera, it’s been the plan since the Temple Stakes. We thought we’d take in Ascot and that went terribly wrong [Mgheera was withdrawn at the start of the King Charles III Stakes]. Then we felt we needed a run in between the Temple Stakes and the Nunthorpe, so squeezed in Ireland [the Sapphire Stakes]. That was a big run in Ireland – very happy with her. I just think the very slick nature of York, Haydock, flat track, hopefully fast ground is exactly what she wants.

“We’re really excited about her. Touch wood, she’s in good nick – she’s a definite runner as long as the ground stays good or faster and she’s been training really well.”

Important Notice:
Information is provided by the third-party provider and it is intended to be used for reference only. The content and information have not been verified or confirmed by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and/or its affiliates (together, the “HKJC”), and will not be used for dividend payout purposes. HKJC also do not make any representation or warranty about the timeliness, reliability or accuracy of any such information. The data, articles and other information on these pages are provided on an “as is” basis for information purposes only. None of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its affiliates or any other person involved in or related to the compilation of such information guarantees its accuracy or reliability and accepts no liability (whether in tort or contract or otherwise) for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies or omissions.

FIELD OF GOLD absence paves way for 'career-defining' Juddmonte International rematch between DELACROIX and OMBUDSMAN

Source: Racing Post by David Milnes, Liam Headd

05/08/2025

Ombudsman and Delacroix are on course for their heavyweight rematch in this month's Juddmonte International but leading miler Field Of Gold has run out of time to join them in a star-studded line-up at York.

This season's Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Field Of Gold was planned to race in the £1.25 million Group 1 on August 20, but the race will come too soon for the son of Kingman, who was found to be lame following his below-par fourth in last week's Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

"Field Of Gold's condition has improved," joint-trainer John Gosden told the Racing Post. "There is still some residual filling in a joint and further precautionary x-rays will be done on Wednesday. Overall, we're pleased with the improvement in his condition."

Before his Goodwood defeat, Juddmonte's latest star ran out a spectacular winner at the Curragh in May and followed up in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. He was sent off to emulate his sire in the Sussex but could make no impression on his pacemaker Qirat in the straight and finished three and three-quarter lengths behind the winner.

Juddmonte’s Barry Mahon said: "We're sitting and waiting. We'll x-ray again and that will rule out any potential for anything more sinister. When the vet and John feel he's ready to resume light exercise he will do. Hopefully that will be next week."

Field Of Gold holds an entry in the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 13 and on Tuesday featured among the entries for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on October 18.

In his absence, the Gosdens are still set to be represented at York by Ombudsman, with the Prince of Wales's Stakes winner set for another meeting with Delacroix, who denied him by a neck in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. The four-year-old has been freshened up since that narrow defeat and joint-trainer Thady Gosden believes he has a good opportunity to reverse the form in a "career-defining" contest.

"He won the Prince of Wales’s on his first attempt in a Group 1 and showed he’s up to that level," said Gosden. "He ran a very good race in the Eclipse and he was beaten by a top-class three-year-old coming through. He’s come out of that race well and has had a little freshen up, so hopefully he’s heading to the Juddmonte International. He’s such a genuine horse, has got the required speed and hopefully can run a good race there."

On the significance of a Group 1 the yard has won three times, most recently with Mostahdaf in 2023, Gosden added: "It's a career-defining race for a lot of horses. If you win the Juddmonte International it certainly means a lot given the depth and quality of the field. York is a very fair track, so often the best horse wins and it's something that everybody aspires to."

Delacroix recorded his first Group 1 win at Sandown and quickly put a disappointing display in the Betfred Derby behind him for O'Brien, who still has eight entries in the Juddmonte International.

"The plan for Delacroix at the moment is the Juddmonte International," said the trainer. "The two races pencilled in for him are that and the Irish Champion Stakes. If he runs there we might not have many others in it. He looks to be the main one at the moment."

Last year's Champion Stakes winner Anmaat finished two lengths behind Ombudsman at the royal meeting and could take his chance at York, although trainer Owen Burrows will be on weather watch in the lead-up to the race.

"He’s in good form, but we’re in the lap of the gods at the moment as there doesn’t look to be a lot of rain coming," he said. "We’ll prepare him for it, but we’ll see what happens. If we can’t go to York then we’ll have a look at Leopardstown, but his main target is Ascot on British Champions Day, where we’re 95 per cent certain to get soft ground. We entered him for it this week and I wouldn’t want to risk running him on quick ground before that."

Important Notice:
Information is provided by the third-party provider and it is intended to be used for reference only. The content and information have not been verified or confirmed by The Hong Kong Jockey Club and/or its affiliates (together, the “HKJC”), and will not be used for dividend payout purposes. HKJC also do not make any representation or warranty about the timeliness, reliability or accuracy of any such information. The data, articles and other information on these pages are provided on an “as is” basis for information purposes only. None of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its affiliates or any other person involved in or related to the compilation of such information guarantees its accuracy or reliability and accepts no liability (whether in tort or contract or otherwise) for any loss or damage arising from any inaccuracies or omissions.