New Approach takes on Duke of Marmalade

The Group 1, $978,000 Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Tuesday features a scintillating clash of the generations when the 3-year-old Epsom Derby winner New Approach challenges the 4-year-old King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Duke of Marmalade.

Trained by Jim Bolger, New Approach has been absent since his half-length victory in the Epsom classic on June 7. Withdrawn from the Irish Derby on the morning of the race because of foot and leg problems to his left hind, this cut back to 1 1/4 miles and 88 yards should be well within the range of New Approach, a son of Galileo. Kevin Manning remains at the controls.

In Duke of Marmalade he will be facing the winner of four Group 1 races this year. Like New Approach, the Duke will be cutting back from 1 1/2 miles, but his three most recent Group 1 tallies, in the Prix Ganay, the Tattersalls Gold Cup, and the Prince of Wales's Stakes, all came at or about the Juddmonte distance, suggesting that the Aidan O'Brien trainee may have an edge. Johnny Murtagh, who got Duke of Marmalade to come again for his King George victory after he was seemingly beaten by Papal Bull, has the call.

The John Gosden-trained Pipedreamer was a course and distance winner last time in the Group 2 York Stakes but was four lengths third to Duke of Marmalade in the Prince of Wales. The Henry Cecil-trained Phoenix Tower was a short head in front of Pipedreamer when second in the Prince of Wales.