Richard Hannon is confident that Barney Roy is the one to beat in the Juddmonte International at York.
The Royal Ascot winner goes for the feature event on day one of the Ebor meeting on the Knavesmire and he clashes with some familiar foes in the shape of Ulysses and Churchill.
The former defeated Barney Roy by a slender margin in last month’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park, while Hannon’s charge has a mixed record against Aidan O’Brien’s colt.
Churchill beat Barney Roy to win the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, but that form was turned around emphatically the following month in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
All has been well with Barney Roy since his run at Sandown and Hannon is sweet on his chances in the 10-furlong York Group 1 encounter.
Hannon firmly believes the Excelebration colt can turn the tables on narrow Eclipse conqueror Ulysses and he has no fears of the re-opposing Churchill, he says.
“It was a great run for a three-year-old at Sandown and it was such a shame to get beaten. Barney Roy is in great form at home and has done very well since the Eclipse.
He heads there in fantastic order and the Juddmonte looks the ideal race for him,” said Hannon.
“The Eclipse form has been boosted by the victory of Eminent last Tuesday (in a Group Two at Deauville) and I think he will take all the beating at York.”
Barney Roy is 3.50 to win the Juddmonte International, with Churchill available at 4.00 and Sir Michael Stoute’s Ulysses 4.50.
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