Juddmonte International 2026 Runners and Odds
The final field is set for one of the races of the British Flat season, with Ombudsman and Constitution River heading nine confirmed runners for the Juddmonte International at York. Punters planning a bet on Wednesday’s Group 1 can also check the latest UK free bets before comparing prices, particularly with the market still moving around the two favourites.
Juddmonte International 2026 at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday 19 August 2026 |
| Time | 3:35pm |
| Course | York |
| Distance | 1m 2f 56y |
| Grade | Group 1 |
| Runners | 9 |
| Current going | Good |
| Prize money | ÂŁ1.5 million |
| TV | ITV |
York’s racecard lists nine runners and the ground as Good, with light rain indicated. The ÂŁ1.5 million purse makes this the richest race ever staged at York.
Market headline: the race has developed into a genuine clash of generations: established champion Ombudsman against an unbeaten three-year-old on the rise in Constitution River.
Juddmonte International 2026 runners and latest odds
The declarations have produced a compact but high-class field. Ombudsman has stall one, while Constitution River breaks from seven and Item, arguably the most credible alternative to the big two — is drawn in two.
| No. | Horse | Draw | Trainer | Jockey | Latest odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Almaqam | 4 | Ed Walker | Kieran Shoemark | 22/1 |
| 2 | Devil’s Advocate | 6 | John & Thady Gosden | Robert Havlin | 150/1+ |
| 3 | Ombudsman | 1 | John & Thady Gosden | William Buick | Evens |
| 4 | Pride Of Arras | 5 | Ralph Beckett | Rossa Ryan | 40/1 |
| 5 | Zaydann | 9 | Francis-Henri Graffard | Mickael Barzalona | 25/1 |
| 6 | Action | 8 | Aidan O’Brien | Ronan Whelan | 100/1+ |
| 7 | Constitution River | 7 | Aidan O’Brien | Ryan Moore | 7/4 |
| 8 | Hawk Mountain | 3 | Aidan O’Brien | Wayne Lordan | 16/1 |
| 9 | Item | 2 | Andrew Balding | Colin Keane | 7/1 |
*Indicative prices checked on 18 August 2026. Ombudsman is trading around Evens, with Constitution River at 7/4, Item at 7/1, Hawk Mountain at 16/1, Almaqam at 22/1 and Zaydann at 25/1. Prices can move quickly before the off, so check the latest odds at Betmaze before placing a bet.
Ombudsman vs Constitution River: why the market is so tight
Ombudsman is attempting to defend the Juddmonte crown and arrives as one of the highest-rated middle-distance horses in the world. His latest major success came in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he confirmed himself as the benchmark among the older horses. Constitution River offers something different. Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old is unbeaten this season after winning the Prix du Jockey Club and then beating older horses in the Eclipse at Sandown. Ryan Moore believes York and the mile-and-a-quarter trip should suit him ideally.
Moore’s assessment was telling:
“Constitution River has done nothing wrong in his whole career.”
The age allowance is part of the appeal. Constitution River carries 9st 1lb against the 9st 8lb allotted to five-year-old Ombudsman, giving the younger horse a seven-pound weight-for-age concession.
Market movement to watch
The Ombudsman market has already been volatile. Several bookmakers briefly suspended betting amid rumours over his wellbeing before John Gosden moved to dismiss concerns following the horse’s work. Constitution River temporarily challenged for favouritism during that uncertainty, but Ombudsman has since returned to the head of the market.
By Tuesday, the wider market had Ombudsman around Evens and Constitution River around 7/4. With the favourite having already experienced significant price movement, it is worth checking the latest Betmaze odds rather than relying on an earlier snapshot of the market.
The other horse that matters: Item
Item has already won twice at York this season, landing the Dante and York Stakes, and his only defeat came when ninth in the Derby on soft ground over a longer trip. Returning to a track and distance that clearly suit gives Andrew Balding’s colt a legitimate chance of capitalising if either favourite underperforms.
Juddmonte International betting angles
The win market revolves around two elite horses, but the shape of the race produces a couple of alternatives for bettors who do not want to take a short price.
| Betting angle | Current price | Why it is interesting |
|---|---|---|
| Ombudsman to win | Betmaze | Defending champion and established older-horse benchmark |
| Constitution River to win | Betmaze | Progressive three-year-old with a 7lb weight-for-age advantage |
| Item each-way | Betmaze | Proven twice at York and potentially suited by returning to 10½f |
| Almaqam each-way | Â Betmaze | More interesting if rain produces genuine ease in the ground |
Indicative prices checked on 18 August 2026 and subject to change. Check Betmaze for the latest available price and current each-way terms before betting.
The favourite is difficult to oppose on bare ratings, but Evens or shorter leaves little margin for error in a field containing a rapidly improving three-year-old. Constitution River becomes more interesting if his price drifts, while Item offers a different route for bettors looking beyond the obvious head-to-head.
BetBrothers verdict
Ombudsman is the horse to beat; Constitution River is the horse with the greatest scope to improve.
At current prices, there is less appeal in blindly following the favourite below Evens. Constitution River at around 7/4 presents the clearer alternative, while Item is the most attractive runner outside the leading pair if his price remains around 7/1 or bigger.
Almaqam is a ground-dependent outsider rather than an automatic each-way play. Check the going before committing.
