Juddmonte International Stakes 2023 betting tips and predictions

On the first day of the York Ebor Festival, which takes place at the North Yorkshire venue of York Racecourse, there are several top-quality races, but none are quite of the prestige of the Juddmonte International Stakes, which is very much the showpiece event.

The Juddmonte International Stakes will take place at 15:35 on Wednesday. It is a Group 1 race run over a slightly extended one mile and two furlongs. In terms of class, this race is right up there with some of the best Group 1 contest, as is illustrated by the fact that the winning connections will scoop no less than £567,100 in prize money.

Our betting tips and predictions for the Juddmonte International Stakes

Ahead of Wednesday’s feature race, which somewhat disappointingly only contains four runners, let’s take a look at what the best bet might be.

Our best prediction: Mostahdaf @ 11/4

If we look at the early market, then we can see that the 2023 renewal of this prestigious event is all about Paddington, who runs in the hands of Ryan Moore for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Now, Paddington is a class act, make no mistake about that. The colt has a near-perfect record having won seven of his eight races, winning each of his last seven. Last time out, he got the job done over a mile at Goodwood, beating some very smart Group 1 rivals.

However, the winning machine now faces what should be his toughest opponent yet in the form of Mostahdef, who is the highest rated horse in this race and is rated higher than any other horse than Paddington has beaten so far.

Mostahdef arrives here off the back of a very fine performance at this level at Royal Ascot, where he absolutely trounced a field of the highest quality, beating a group of horses all rated 121 or above, and he did so in incredibly decisive fashion. Such form is hard to ignore and if he turns up at York in the same mood, then he’ll give the favourite plenty to think about.

Sure, Paddington could continue to find more and may go on to earn a rating of 128 (or better) himself, but I really do think it’s hard to feel, in a four-runner race, that Mostahdaf isn’t generously priced. Off the back of what was a superb Royal Ascot effort, having been freshened up since, the mount of Frankie Dettori has to go down as a value play here.