The eagerly anticipated clash of the generations between last year's winner Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) and this term's G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Eclipse hero Constitution River (Wootton Bassett) inched closer when both were among nine declared for Wednesday's £1.5m G1 Juddmonte International at York.
Ombudsman has drawn stall one and Constitution River, whose yearling half-sister by Kodiac sold for €430,000 during Monday's session at Arqana, has been allocated stall seven.
The former is joined by Godolphin's John and Thady Gosden stablemate Devil's Advocate (Too Darn Hot), while Ballydoyle also sends forth Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett)–who hit the board behind Constitution River in both Jockey Club and Eclipse–and regular pacemaker Action (Frankel).
The race sponsor's Item (Frankel), who has drawn stall two, is back on familiar territory having annexed both G2 Dante and G2 York Stakes over course and distance this term, while Francis Graffard will seek a ninth Group 1 win of the year with the progressive G3 Grand Prix de Vichy victor Zaydann (Dubawi) from stall nine.
The line-up is completed by G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Almaqam (Lope De Vega), whose connections hope the forecast rain arrives in time, and Pride Of Arras (New Bay), who is two-from-three at the Knavesmire venue.
Aidan O'Brien trainee Causeway (Wootton Bassett) was the only overnight defection.
Elsewhere on the Ebor Festival's opening-day card, Group 1 winners Maltese Cross (Sea The Stars), Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) and Christmas Day (Camelot) will face off in the G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur, while Ballydoyle's Group 2-placed TDN Rising Stars Haffner (Justify) and Confucius (No Nay Never) are among 11 declarations for the G3 Tattersalls Acomb.
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