Juddmonte International is crowned world's best race of 2024

There were hundreds of spectacular races all around the globe last year but none were greater than the Juddmonte International at York, which on Tuesday was named as the Longines World's Best Horse Race  for 2024.

The mile-and-a-quarter showpiece on August 21 was won in scintillating fashion by Derby hero City Of Troy, who powered to victory under Ryan Moore in a course record time. He cemented his superstar status from the front, repelling a star-studded international field.

Aidan O’Brien’s star had been underwhelming in justifying cramped odds in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on his previous start, but on this occasion he was superb in beating an all-star cast on the first day of York’s Ebor Festival. A crowd of 16,000 were gripped, as were Racing TV viewers.

Calandagan, Ghostwriter and Bluestocking were the next three home in a memorable edition that featured runners from England, Ireland, France and Japan. Bluestocking would go on to scoop the Prix Vermeille and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe before the year was over.

Past winners of the 10-furlong contest, which was first run in 1972 and carried a record prize fund of £1.25million last year, include great names such as Roberto, Dahlia, Sea The Stars and Frankel.

York chief executive and clerk of the course William Derby said: “It is such an honour that our flagship race, the Group One Juddmonte International, has been awarded the Longines World’s Best Horserace 2024.

“It is the ultimate recognition for the vision, commitment and investment by the York Race Committee and Juddmonte over the past four decades. So many people play a part in delivering fabulous horse races such as these at the global elite level; this is a credit to all of them.

“Of course, it would not be possible without the support of the connections of the horses themselves – we are incredibly grateful to those owners of the 13 fabulous thoroughbreds and to the trainers, jockeys and racing staff who contributed to the memorable spectacle, as well as everyone who supports racing at York.

“To win for a second time, so joining a small cohort of the world’s iconic races, only reinforces the commitment of everyone at York to top-quality sporting action.

“We thank Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, who have been instrumental in promoting elite thoroughbred horseracing around the world and I am thrilled to have collected the award from them, on behalf of the entire York team.”

IFHA chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “The 2024 running of the Juddmonte International at York showcased a powerful performance by City of Troy against a high-quality field. On behalf of the entire IFHA, I want to congratulate our very deserving winners.”

City Of Troy was unable to replicate those exploits on dirt in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but finished the year with an official rating of 128, while Calandagan, the runner-up, who would go on to fill the same position in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot, ended on 125, with Ghostwriter on 119, and Bluestocking on 122.

Aidan O’Brien, who extended his record tally of wins in the race to seven, said: “We were thrilled with City Of Troy’s victory in the Juddmonte International at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York, beating an international field in a record time with a pillar to post win under Ryan Moore.

“The Juddmonte International is a tremendous race of global importance to thoroughbred racing and we are delighted to see it rated the Longines World’s Best Race 2024.”

This is the second time the Juddmonte International has been acclaimed as the World's Best Horse Race, as it first took the title in 2020, when Ghaiyyath beat Magical, Lord North and Kameko.

Juddmonte representative Douglas Erskine Crum added: “Juddmonte and Prince Khalid’s family are proud to have sponsored the Juddmonte International for the last 35 years and have seen it attract many of the best middle-distance racehorses in the world in that time.

“Prizemoney for the race increased again last year to reflect its prominent status in global horseracing, and our congratulations go to the excellent team at York racecourse led by William Derby, who have nurtured the race to be consistently at the top of world racing.”

The list of 100 best races is compiled using the annual race ratings, which are calculated based on the first four finishers in each race. Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) use this register to then determine the winner.

A rating of 124.25 for the Juddmonte International enabled it to scoop the No 1 slot at the main expense of the DraftKings Travers Stakes (123.75), Queen Elizabeth Stakes (123.00), and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (122.75).

The Japan Cup in association with Longines, Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe were all tied on 122.50 points, with the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (122.25), Winx Stakes (121.50), James Squire T. J. Smith Stakes (121.25), and the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (121.25) also featuring in the top 11.

Like the Juddmonte International, the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Irish Champion Stakes were also shown live on Racing TV.

In total, 11 countries comprise the 2024 list. Australia leads all countries with 30 total races, followed by Great Britain (20), Japan (13), France (11), United States (11), Hong Kong, China (8), Germany (4), Ireland (4), United Arab Emirates (3), Saudi Arabia (1), and South Africa (1).