Ebor Festival: Kinane’s money on Golden Horn to call the tune in York’s Juddmonte showdown

The first time that the current Epsom Derby and 2000 Guineas winners have clashed on the Knavesmire for more than two decades, the now retired Kinane has every confidence that Frankie Dettori’s mount Golden Horn will stretch his unbeaten record to six in this tantalising 10-furlong test.

The most valuable race ever to be staged in York’s history, the celebrated contest – the eight runner line-up also includes Yorkshire’s horse of the year The Grey Gatsby – is made even more fascinating because neither champion is running over their optimum trip.

It sees the John Gosden-trained Golden Horn drop back in trip after appearing to relish every yard of the Derby’s mile-and-a-half of rolling contours, while Gleneagles is one of the best milers ever to be trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien after electrifying performances in both the English and Irish 2000 Guineas before an imperious victory in the Group One St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Connections of Gleneagles will, however, assess conditions today before confirming the entry - they are slightly concerned about the rain that fell yesterday and do not want conditions to be on the soft side.

With Golden Horn’s owner Anthony Oppenheimer having purchased a pacemaker, Dick Doughtywylie, specifically for this assignment, connections clearly hope that a fast-run race will optimise the champion colt’s stamina and diminish the finishing speed of Gleneagles.

And this is the scenario envisaged by Kinane ahead of the best race in the world on official ratings.

“With the pacemaker Dick Doughtywylie in the race for Golden Horn that makes it very straightforward for him as he will bring Frankie as far as he can down the straight,” said the rider who had to be at his tactical best in 2009 to prevail on Sea The Stars, who had won both the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby en route to York.

“He will be the one to make the first move as his horse has stamina in abundance and he will try to get Gleneagles at it and get him into unknown territory and out of his comfort zone. Stamina will get asked at York as they get racing a long way out, but it is a very fair track and one of the best there is.

“It is a question of if Gleneagles will stay, so I would go for the favourite as he is proven over the track and distance, his stamina is assured and he is a straightforward horse. Like Sea The Stars, he is a very good horse and has taken a similar route to him. He looks a very straightforward, genuine horse that is sound in both mind and body. It is a clash that really whets the appetite. It is what racing is all about, great horses that are champions over two different distances like this clashing. One thing that is for sure is we will know the champion three-year-old after Wednesday.”

Supporting Kinane in his view that the black and white silks of Golden Horn will emerge victorious is his countryman Johnny Murtagh who triumphed aboard the O’Brien-trained pair of Duke Of Marmalade in 2008 and Rip Van Winkle two years later.

He said: “There is a very good chance of Gleneagles staying given his racing style as he is not keen so he will give himself every chance of staying and he might even improve for it. But it is a long way down the straight at York and I see Frankie making sure he puts his stamina to the test.

“It is a very close call. Aidan O’Brien has a good record in the race, but the race could just be set up for Golden Horn. There is not much to choose between them, but on form I’d say Golden Horn’s is a little bit better as he was a very good winner of the Derby.”

The International has been a benchmark of racing greatness since Roberto won the inaugural running in 1972. It saw the world-beating Frankel put up a career-best performance in 2012 while last year’s renewal saw the O’Brien-trained Australia confirm his Derby-winning class.

One of the most fascinating races came in 1992 when the Lester Piggott-inspired Guineas winner Rodrido de Triano turned the tables on Epsom Derby winner Dr Devious ridden by John Reid.

“At the end of the day, the speed horse won the race,” he told The Yorkshire Post. “The Doctor needed a mile-and-a-half, he was a better horse at that trip, while the race suited Lester’s horse who had the speed. If I had the choice, I would rather be on Golden Horn because he is the exceptional horse of the year.”