Jim Crowley: Juddmonte International Q & A

Former champion jockey Jim Crowley won the Juddmonte International at York twice, on Ulysses in 2017 and the mighty Baaeed in 2022. Here the recently-retired rider gives Press Association the lowdown on Wednesday’s highlight on the Knavesmire:

Because it is such a long straight horses tend to get racing a long way from home so jockeys can afford to ride a patient race and just creep into it. What I would say though is normally horses would race up the middle at York, but if they decide to stay far side it can cause traffic problems. It happened to me once when I rode Elarqam (third to Japan in 2019) and it can inconvenience some of the runners, particularly hold-up horses.

Ulysses won very easily, beating a St James’s Palace winner in Barney Roy. It was an easy race to ride, as I just rode him patiently. It was like riding a piece of work, the race just unfolded in front of me. I tried to keep it all smooth and not hit the front too soon. Baaeed was different. York had made such a great effort with flags and scarves everywhere and everybody had come to watch him in his first run over a mile and a quarter. I had never really pressed the button on him, as I was always minding him and thinking of his next race, but that day (racing manager) Angus Gold said to me, ‘Let’s see what he’s got’. He was still on the bridle pulling hard a furlong out. It was like watching Sea The Stars win, but even easier. The reception he got was unbelievable and probably one of the best days of my life in the saddle.

Ombudsman is in stall one, but I quite like Ryan Moore’s draw on Constitution River in seven and I think he could be a little bit further forward than Ombudsman throughout the race. Turning into the straight it is going to depend on where they go. If they stay on that far rail it is all going to be very tactical. William Buick will not want to get too far back with an inside draw, that’s for sure.

You cannot crab Ombudsman’s form at all, whatever happened last time. He is the highest-rated horse in the world on turf and deserves it. I remember him beating me on a horse called Anmaat at Royal Ascot (Prince of Wales’s Stakes in 2025). Anmaat was a very good horse who had beaten Calandagan in the previous season’s Champion Stakes. He came past me that day like he had just jumped in at the furlong pole. I could not believe it. He is a very, very good horse.

Certainly not. I don’t think it benefits anyone to think that would happen. A little bit too much was made of the team tactics element at Ascot. Both horses want a good honest pace and that is what the pacemakers are there for. Nobody benefits from this being turned into a sprint. The faster they go the less chance there is of being boxed in. It will elongate the field. And that will suit both horses.

I’ve seen a few turn-ups, especially in the Juddmonte. I saw Arabian Queen turn over Golden Horn in 2015, so it can happen. Anything is possible and the connections of Item may fancy their chances. He is rated 122 as a three-year-old getting weight from older horses. Almaqam is also rated 122, but he’s an older horse. Hawk Mountain and Pride Of Arras are useful. Zaydann has done absolutely nothing wrong and has brilliant connections. But for me it would be a turn up if any of those win. You can overlook the pacemakers, too, so yes this looks a match.

I see William tucking in, but hopefully not too far back. I see Ryan and Constitution River getting first run on Ombudsman once into the straight, but I get a feeling Ombudsman will chop him down late. That is how they have ridden him in all his races. It suits his run style. I can’t get out of my head 12 months ago when it looked for all the world he might not get there and then, all of a sudden, he was going away and winning well. Constitution River is a fantastic three-year-old, but he has to step up again to beat Ombudsman.