Juddmonte International: Most Successful Jockeys

The 2024 renewal of this race is rapidly approaching, and here we will be taking a look back at the jockeys who have had the most success in this race over the years.

There is less than a week remaining until this year’s York Ebor Festival gets underway at York Racecourse, with the action at this historic venue set to take place over four days from Wednesday 21st to Saturday 24th August 2024.

The Juddmonte International Stakes is the race that will be offering the most prize money, which is an incredible £1,250,000. It will be the fourth race to take place on the opening day, and it is a contest run over a distance of one mile and 2 furlongs for horses aged 3 or older.

The field for the 2024 running of this race is to be as follows: City Of Troy (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien), Calandagan (Trainer: Francis Henri Graffard), Alflaila (Trainer: Owen Burrows), Ambiente Friendly (Trainer: James Fanshawe), Ghostwriter (Trainer: Clive Cox), Zarakem (Trainer: Jerome Reynier), Economics (Trainer: William Haggas), White Birch (Trainer: John Joseph Murphy), Bluestocking (Trainer: Ralph Beckett), King’s Gambit (Trainer: Harry Charlton), August Rodin (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien), Durezza (Trainer: Tomohito Ozeki), Israr (Trainers: John & Thady Gosden), Maljoom (Trainer: William Haggas), Docklands (Trainer: Harry Eustace), Opera Singer (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien), Henry Longfellow (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien), Jayarebe (Trainer: Brian Meehan), Continuous (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien), Los Angeles (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien), Matsuri (Trainer: Roger Varian), Royal Rhyme (Trainer: Karl Burke), Ylang Ylang (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien), My Prospero (Trainer: William Haggas) & Hans Andersen (Trainer: Aidan O’Brien).

The most recent winner of the Juddmonte International Stakes was back on 23rd August 2023, and it was Frankie Dettori on board Mostahdaf who won that year’s renewal of this highly prestigious race. The winning margin stood at one length, with Hollie Doyle and Nashwa finishing as runners-up in the end, with pre-race favourite Paddington, ridden by Ryan Moore, coming in third place.

Here, we are going to take a look at the jockeys who have had the most success in this particular race over the years.

5: Johnny Murtagh, Jim Crowley, Ryan Moore, and Joseph O’Brien (2 Wins)

We start this list with four jockeys who have all won the Juddmonte International Stakes on precisely two occasions – Johnny Murtagh, Jim Crowley, Ryan Moore, and Joseph O’Brien.

Starting with Murtagh, his first win came with Duke Of Marmalade all the way back in 2008, fending off some stern competition from the likes of Ted Durcan’s Phoenix Tower, and Kevin Manning’s New Approach, who had to settle for second and third place finishes in the end.

His next win came two years later in 2010, this time winning on board Rip Van Winkle, finishing ahead of runner-up Twice Over and Byword in third place.

Moving on to Jim Crowley, his inaugural victory in this race was in 2017 with Ulysses, where he beat pre-race favourite Churchill who, ridden by Ryan Moore, came in second place whilst James Doyle’s Barney Roy came in third.

His second came in 2022 with a William Haggas trained Baaeed, who was able to beat competition from James Doyle’s Mishriff, with Ben Curtis and Sir Busker rounding off the top three in third place in the end.

As for Ryan Moore, his first victory was with Notnowcato, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, all the way back in 2006. Marrahel had to settle for second place, whilst Blue Monday came in third place overall.

His second, and most recent victory, came with Japan over a decade later in 2019. Pre-race favourite Crystal Ocean, ridden by James Doyle came in second place, whilst it was Jim Crowley’s Elarqam who had to settle for a third place finish.

Finally, Joseph O’Brien is the other jockey to have two victories in the Juddmonte International Stakes, and he is the only one with this number of wins to have done so in consecutive years His first came riding Declaration Of War in 2013, finishing ahead of the likes of Trading Leather and the pre-race favourite, Al Kazeem, in third place.

Then, in 2014, O’Brien won again, this time as the pre-race favourite. He won riding Australia, where an enthralling race ended with him beating likes of The Grey Gatsby and Telescope who rounded off the top three with second and third place finishes overall.

4: Michael Kinane, Steve Cauthen, and Willie Carson (3 Wins)

We will now move on to the three jockeys who have recorded three victories in their respective careers – Michael Kinane, Steve Cauthen, and Willie Carson.

Starting with Michael Kinane, the first of his trio of triumphs took place all the way back at the start of the 21st Century in 2000, winning with Giant’s Causeway. The pre-race favourite was able to meet expectations, whilst beating runner-up Kalanisi and Lear Spear to victory.

His second was on board Electrocutionist five years later in 2005, where this time he was victorious following an exciting race that saw Yutaka Take’s Zenno Rob Roy and Richard Hills’ Maraahel come in second and third place overall in the end.

Win number three for Kinane was in 2009 with Sea the Stars, finishing ahead of the likes of Mastercraftsman (2nd Place) and Cornish in 3rd place.

Moving on to Steve Cauthen, his first triumph came back in 1984, when he rode Cormorant Wood to victory. His second then came 3 years later with a Patrick Biancone trained Triptych in 1987 before winning a third in 1990 with In the Groove, who was trained by David Elsworth.

Finally, Willie Carson is the only other jockey with precisely three Juddmonte International Stakes victories in their career. Carson’s first-ever success in this race came in 1977 with Relkino, before following up this success with a second victory with Troy two years later at the end of the decade in 1979.

Carson’s third and final victory in this highly prestigious race came exactly nine years later in 1988, winning with Shady Heights, a horse trained by Robert Armstrong.

3: Walter Swinburn and Pat Eddery (4 Wins)

We are now in the top three of this list. Walter Swinburn and Pat Eddery are the only two jockeys with exactly 4 wins to their respective names in the entire history of the Juddmonte International Stakes as of the time of writing.

Walter Swinburn secured his inaugural victory back in 1986 with Shardari, whilst his other three victories came in consecutive years. His second and third victories in 1993 and 1994 were with a Sir Michael Stoute trained Ezzoud, before winning with Halling, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, in 1995.

Moving on to Pat Eddery, he got his first three wins in consecutive years, starting with Beldale Flutter in 1981. This win was followed by Assert in 1982, before completing a hat-trick of sensational victories in 1983 with a Vincent O’Brien trained Caerleon. You have to fast forward to 1998 for his fourth success in the Juddmonte International Stakes with One So Wonderful, trained by Luca Cumani.

2: Lester Piggott (5 Wins)

Only one jockey has exactly 5 wins in the Juddmonte International Stakes at the historic York Racecourse, and it is the legendary Lester Piggott who achieved this feat in his career.

Piggott’s inaugural victory in this race was with Dahlia in 1974, before he then won with the Maurice Zilber trained horse once again in 1975. A third victory, this time with Hawaiian Sound then arrived a few years later in 1978 before winning for a fourth time in 1985 with Commanche Run, who was trained by Luca Cumani. His fifth and final win was on board Rodrigo de Triano in 1992.

1: Frankie Dettori (6 Wins)

Lester Piggott was peerless in terms of wins in the entire history of the highly prestigious Juddmonte International Stakes until 2007 when the iconic Frankie Dettori matched him with the Italian’s fifth victory.

History was then made just a year ago in 2023 when the aforementioned Mostahdaf emerged victorious to not only seal Dettori’s sixth victory but to also write a new chapter in the history books of this famous race.

We have to rewind all the way back to 1996 for Frankie’s first victory, which was with Halling, before winning for a second time the year after in 1997 with a Sir Michael Stoute trained Singspiel. Win three came with Sakhee at the start of the century in 2001, before winning for a sensational fourth time just three years later in 2004 with Sulamani.

Then came the aforementioned 2007 victory with Authorized that saw Frankie Dettori match Lester Piggott’s record, before beating it with a sixth win with Mostahdaf back in 2023.

We now await the next chapter in the history of the highly prestigious Juddmonte International Stakes to be written,  with another sensation race to come where the latest winner of York Ebor’s richest race is set to be decided.

There is plenty of excitement and anticipation for the enthralling action to come across all four days at the historic York Racecourse for the 2024 York Ebor Festival, which is set to start on Wednesday 21st August before coming to a close on Saturday 24th August 2024.

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