by Mike Curry

Dual English classic winner Sea The Stars scared away much of the competition for the $978,467 Juddmonte International Stakes (Eng-G1) on Tuesday at York as only three challengers will line up to face the Cape Cross (Ire) colt.

Trained by John Oxx for owner Chris Tsui, Sea The Stars has been dominant this season with three clear victories in Group 1 races. He opened his three-year-old campaign with a 1 1/2-length victory in the Stanjames.com Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) on May 2 at Newmarket and became the first horse to complete the English Guineas–Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) double since Nashwan in 1989 when he won the Investec Epsom Derby by 1 3/4 lengths on June 6.

Sea The Stars has not raced since he defeated Rip Van Winkle by a length in the Coral Eclipse Stakes (Eng-G1) on July 4 at Sandown. Not that Sea The Stars needed it, but the Eclipse victory was flattered when Rip Van Winkle came back to post a dominant 2 1/2-length romp in the BGC Sussex Stakes (Eng-G1) on July 29.

"Everything has been fine with the horse, and his work has been good," Oxx told England’s Press Association. "I don't think they have had any significant rain at the track on Monday, which is good news, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens now.

"There aren't many runners, which is a very disappointing thing for everyone, but we can do nothing about that.”

The English Triple Crown concludes with the 1¾-mile Ladbrokes St. Leger (Eng-G1) on September 12 at Doncaster, but Oxx has given no indication that he is inclined to go for the classics sweep. Sea The Stars would be the first English Triple Crown winner since Nijinksy II in 1970.

Bred in Ireland by Sunderland Holdings, Sea The Stars is a half brother to European champion and influential sire Galileo (Ire), winner of the 2001 Vodafone Epsom Derby and Budweiser Irish Derby (Ire-G1). He is out of prolific Group 1 producer and 1993 CIGA Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) winner Urban Sea.

The field for the International Stakes was reduced to four when multiple group stakes winner Tartan Bearer was found to be lame on Monday. Sea The Stars will face a trio of runners from the Ballydoyle stable of Aidan O’Brien, led by St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-G1) winner Mastercraftsman.

"Mastercraftsman is a good horse and looks like he will enjoy this step up in distance,” Oxx said of the 2008 European champion two-year-old male. “The mile and a quarter should suit him and that could help him step up a bit more. … He's a good, tough competitor and you have to respect him.”

The three-year-old Danehill Dancer colt enters the International Stakes off back-to-back victories in the Boylesports.com Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) in May at the Curragh and the St. James’s Palace Stakes in June at Royal Ascot. Mastercraftsman was fifth behind Sea The Stars in the English Guineas but has improved since that race, and regular rider Johnny Murtagh is eager to see if he has closed the gap on his familiar foe.

"I'm really looking forward to it and it's going to be a great race. My horse is a really solid horse, the ground doesn't matter to him and nothing seems to bother him," Murtagh told England’s Press Association. "He's had a nice break since Ascot and I think he's come on again since then, so it should be a great race.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor

Juddmonte International Stakes (Eng-G1)

August 18, $978,467, 3yo&up, abt1 5/16mT, York

The field in post position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:

1.Georgebernardshaw (Danehill Dancer), Colm O’Donoghue, 131, Aidan O’Brien;

2.Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer),Johnny Murtagh, 123, Aidan O’Brien;

3.Sea The Stars Cape Cross (Ire), Mick Kinane, 123, John Oxx; and

4.Set Sail (Danehill Dancer), Seamus Heffernan, 123, Aidan O’Brien.