Criterion To Juddmonte International

Australian raider Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}), a respectable fifth in the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. at Royal Ascot, will bypass his original target, the G1 Sussex S. July 29, in favor of the Aug. 19 G1 Juddmonte International. 

“We’ve changed our plan and we’re heading towards the Juddmonte International,” trainer David Hayes confirmed on Australia’s Sky Sports Radio Thursday. “We just wanted to give the horse a three-week break in the English summer–the weather’s beautiful there at the moment and we’ve found a lovely property in Newmarket–just to let him get a bit of sun on his back and have a bit of a freshen-up.” 

Hayes explained he is planning Criterion’s campaign as a build-up to some big-race assignments back in Australia later in the year. 

“We have two months to build him up to the Juddmonte, then he’s got a couple weeks before he goes into quarantine and he’ll come back [to Australia] for the [G1] Caulfield S. and [G1] Cox Plate double.” 
Hayes added, “He’s going to hold a [G1] Melbourne Cup entry; [owner] Sir Owen [Glenn] is keen to run in the Melbourne Cup if the horse is in form and we feel that he can run the two miles.”

Criterion’s Prince of Wales’s conqueror, the lightly raced 4-year-old Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), is also expected to line up in the Juddmonte International after connections revealed plans to bypass engagements in the G1 Coral-Eclipse and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. next month.

“He’s absolutely A1 and I think we’ll just look at all the options,” reported owner-breeder Moyglare Stud representative Fiona Craig. “There’s the Juddmonte International and the [G1] Irish Champion S. [Jockey] Pat Smullen mentioned the King George the other day, but I think we’ll probably stick to a mile and a quarter before stepping up to the mile and a half in the Arc. Pat is adamant he’ll improve for stepping up in distance.”