Aidan O'Brien's Constitution River, once a shining star in the world of thoroughbred racing, found itself in a messy situation at York's Juddmonte International. The race, which was supposed to be a clash of generations between Constitution River and Ombudsman, took an unexpected turn when the pacemakers failed to deliver. This led to a chaotic race dynamic, with Hawk Mountain taking the lead and Constitution River in a less-than-ideal position. O'Brien, speaking at Ballydoyle, described the race as a "complete mess", highlighting the series of unfortunate events that unfolded. He explained how the intended pacemaker, Action, missed the break, and Devil's Advocate, a usual pacemaker for Ombudsman, failed to take the lead. This left Hawk Mountain in the front, which Constitution River's rider, Wayne Lordan, did not prefer. The race's pace became too quick, causing Constitution River to become a bit keen and charge over the road. As a result, Ombudsman, riding patiently, finished ahead of Constitution River, who ended up in third place. O'Brien's
