2012 Juddmonte International Betting Preview

The final withdrawals have taken place and we are finally set to see Frankel take the step up to 1m2f and run against proper competition at the distance. He is entered for the 2012 Juddmonte International, a Group 1 affair at the York Ebor meeting, and he is still getting his usual momentum in the ante post markets from virtually all bookmakers.

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Juddmonte will maintain three different entries for this one with Frankel lining up alongside his usual pacemaker Bullet Train but they have also elected to enter multiple Group 1 winning globetrotter Twice Over. The seven-year-old son of Observatory, who is a full horse, won this race last year and has been acquitting himself well in every race this year – still not registering a win but hitting the board each time.

The real challenge is expected to come from the likes of St Nicholas Abbey, arguably within the top five on the international handicap circuit, he has taken the Group 1 Coronation Cup two years in a row and has also captured the Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs. He shipped to Meydan to finish second in the Sheema Classic this year when sent off as the 9/4 favourite while finishing a game third in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

You can expect Twice Over to go off a bit shorter than his current 11/2 and this will likely be because Frankel may drift on the day – perhaps closer to 1/4 or even 1/3 – as concerns begin to mount about the going or his ability to deploy his usual keen style in a race that may call for a more tactical approach.

This is pure speculation however and there is every chance that Frankel will relish the trip and distance.

Farhh is back for another effort against Frankel and the Godolphin yard are much more positive about his chances at a longer distance than the mile they contested last time out. Farhh has hit the board in every race this year and looks good value for the place, though his 12/1 is probably reflective of the fact that he will only really be able to get the win by capitalizing on an error or mistake from Frankel.

There is a chance that St Nick's can beat him just on outright ability but Farhh has less control over the outcome of the race.

Other selections here include the aforementioned Twice Over at 18/1 while Planteur lines up for the Marco Botti yard and the five-year-old son of Danehill Dancer will be looking to get things back on track after a disappointing seventh at Ascot. He's trading at 33/1 and may factor for the place. That would probably be enough to satisfy connections.

Sri Putra is in the frame here and enters off a win at York in the Group 2 SkyBet Stakes at York. He beat Afsare by a neck, and he managed to come back and finish second in a Grade 1 race at Arlington on Saturday in the United States. There is some credibility there that he comes out of a good race – he is the outside shot for a place bet and is worth a look.

Bullet Train is 150/1, Windsor Palace is 150/1 and Robin Hood is somehow entered here again and you'll find him at a hefty 250/1.