The Valley has further strengthened international ties to its greatest race with the announcement of a link to the G1 Juddmonte International winner at York next month secures a spot in the spring’s Cox Plate.

“We’re very keen to continue our great association with York Racecourse, and undoubtedly the winner of this year’s race will be more than worthy of a berth in the 2023 Ladbrokes Cox Plate,” said Moonee Valley Racing Club head of racing Charlotte Mills.

William Derby, chief executive of York Racecourse, shared a similar sentiment when commenting on the pathway between the two races;
“The Juddmonte International Stakes and the Ladbrokes Cox Plate are two of the greatest Weight For Age races in the world, and it is a pleasure to have them correlate with one another in 2023.”

The Juddmonte International, which has been won by the likes of Baaeed, is the third and final “in-and-you’re-in races linked to the Cox Plate following recently announcements around the Saratoga Derby in the US and the Takarazuka Kinen in Japan.

The Juddmonte International Stakes, which is a 2000-metre weight-for-age race at York on August 23, has been one of the greatest 2000-metre contests in world racing since its inception in 1972. Recently, it has showcased the likes of champion thoroughbreds Baaeed, Ghaiyyath, Roaring Lion, Sea The Stars and Frankel.

In 2012, Frankel, a Juddmonte horse himself, won the race and earned an international rating of 140, making him the highest-rated turf horse of all time.
Next month’s Juddmonte International Stakes is shaping as one of the world’s great races with dominant Prince Of Wales’s Stakes winner Mostahdaf potentially up against the pair of star Aidan O’Brien three-year-olds Paddington and Auguste Rodin.

“The Cox Plate has enormous prestige and is a very important race for a colt to win, especially for a potential dual hemisphere stallion. We won it with Adelaide and more recently Joseph won it with State Of Rest. It is always a great race and a very prestigious race on the international calendar, “ Aidan O’Brien said.