INTERNATIONAL by name and international by nature - the winners of York Racecourse’s flagship race will now be guaranteed an entry to one of the world’s richest contests.

Chiefs at Knavesmire have extended their partnership with the American Breeders’ Cup series and the victors of the £800,000 Juddmonte International Stakes will be reserved a stall for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at California’s Santa Anita track.

The Darley Yorkshire Oaks and Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes champions already benefit from being automatically entered into their equivalent races at the Breeders’ Cup - the self-styled world championships of racing, staged this year on October 31 and November 1.

The Juddmonte International will also offer a ‘win and you’re in’ route. The Breeders’ Cup attracts some of the best horses from around the world and consists of 14 races and more than $25 million in prize money.

James Brennan, head of marketing at York Racecourse, said: “Flat racing is a global sport and York is right there as part of that global mix in terms of its reputation and the horses that run for our premier prizes and they look to campaign internationally now.

“Now all three of our Group 1 races are part of what is now known as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.

“The winners of each of those are effectively guaranteed a berth in their equivalent contest in that first week in November.

“That’s a further incentive for the top-quality horses and top-quality connections who race at York and we have seen horses go to the Breeders’ Cup and perform well - from juvenile contests and from our leading Group 1s.

“It’s not just heading west. They head east if their targets are in Japan or Singapore or as far as Melbourne. We’ve seen connections take that trip from Knavesmire to all of those destinations in recent years.”

Meanwhile, Tattersalls, Europe’s leading bloodstock auctioneers, have extended their support for York Racecourse.

Already sponsoring the Musidora Stakes in May, they have put their name to the Group 3 Acomb Stakes on the opening day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival on Wednesday, August 20.

Lord Grimthorpe, chairman of York Racecourse, said: “Tattersalls have been wonderful supporters of York for more than a quarter of a century so I am particularly delighted they have chosen to support the Acomb Stakes. Having won the race with Dundonell in 2012, wearing my other hat as racing manager to Prince Khalid Abdullah, I know what it means to connections.”