Ebor Festival - Jason Watson relishing Juddmonte International challenge at York

Even though the horse carried the 2018 champion apprentice to Group One success in Germany last year, the quality of the field means they will be outsiders on the Knavesmire. The six-strong field is headed by this season’s Coronation Cup and Eclipse winner Ghaiyyath.

Now the world’s highest-rated racehorse, his frontrunning tactics under William Buick will be a sight to behold.

However, strong opposition will come from 2000 Guineas hero Kameko, Royal Ascot hero Look North and Magical, a multiple Group One winner.

The field is completed by Middleham trainer Mark Johnston’s Rose Of Kildare who was a surprise winner of York’s Dante Stakes last month. Like Rise Of Kildare, Watson’s mount has winning course form and this gives the jockey grounds for optimism following the five-year-old Aspetar’s fine win in last month’s Sky Bet York Stakes over the Juddmonte trip of 10 furlongs.

Boosted by a couple of higher-profile successes at Newbury last weekend for trainer Roger Charlton, the fresh-faced rider is clearly relishing his first ride in the latest leg of the Qipco British Champions Series.

He does so in the knowledge that the past two winners of the York Stakes – Thundering Blue and Elarqam – have gone on to finish third in the Juddmonte International while Twice Over pulled off the double in 2011 for the late Sir Henry Cecil.

And Watson also knows that the experience of such races – this is his first Juddmonte – will serve him well as he grows into his role as stable jockey to Charlton, a much respected former Derby-winning trainer.

“He’s a special horse for me,” said Watson, who is in his second year at the Charlton stables.

“He’s taken me around the world and given me one of the biggest victories of my career so far when winning the Group One in Germany, and again the other day at York.

“He was very impressive last time and I’d say it was a career-best given the way he travelled into the race and finished it off against that calibre of the opposition.

“He keeps improving and I’m not sure that, even now, we know what he’s fully capable of.

“He never really lets us in and that’s what makes him so exciting.

“In the past there have been races where he has over-raced a bit and not been the most straightforward but, like a fine wine, he seems to be maturing and getting better with age.

“He’s much more relaxed and professional and has a mighty turn of foot for a horse who stays so well.

“I think that’s our main weapon and what sets him apart.

“He’s using his speed more wisely and finishing more like a miler or even seven-furlong horse.”

Watson, 20, added: “The track obviously suits him and I think we’ve earned our place in the race. I’d like to think he will run a big race.

“Ghaiyyath is a beast of a horse and very flamboyant in the way he runs.

“He’s going to be tough to beat, but I think it’s one of the stiffest tasks that he’s faced in that he’s running against a few horses who probably have a bit more of a turn of foot than him. We will see what happens.”