A thrilling renewal of the Juddmonte International at York saw Red Ransom entire Electrocutionist come out best as the Group One feature well and truly lived up to its name.

Mick Kinane brought the Italian Valfredo Valiani trained winner home with a late run to deny Japanese star and reining horse of the year Zenno Rob Roy in a finish which also saw horses from Britain and Ireland in with a serious chance a furlong from home.

It was well-backed favourite Ace who soon went to the front under Kieren Fallon with Doyen and Maraahel just behind.

And as they turned for home, Fallon took the runners to the centre of the track when the race began to hot up. Maraahel joined Ace over two furlongs out with Norse Dancer making his bid on the far side. But the contest was far from over as the two international challengers arrived on the scene on the stands side of the group.

Kinane’s forceful style contrasted with Yutaka Take, the Japanese champion aboard the runner-up, who never quite seemed to find a rhythm aboard his horse. And it was Electrocutionist who prevailed by a neck in a decent time for the conditions, with Maraahel a head away in third.

Ace finished a close-up fourth and Norse Dancer fifth.

There could be more to come from the dual Group One winner with the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and Breeders’ Cup turf possible targets for the four-year-old with Valiani - a former pupil of champion trainer Luca Cumani - saying his charge had "Always looked like a horse who would be perfect for Longchamp".

"I’ll have to talk to the owner’s racing manager, but the Arc might be his next race," he said.

"There is a nice gap between that race and this one and he is not a hard horse to train. I think the return to a mile and a half will help him. If the ground was to come up soft then we could miss the race and just go straight to the Breeders’ Cup Turf. I was never worried today. I know my horse takes some time to get going but when he does, he has a very good turn of foot. He has not had a lot of races. In fact, I think he is still learning."

Electrocutionist has now won six and one second from his seven career starts, winning the Juddmonte International takes his earnings to £616,936. He stepped up from winning last year’s Listed Gran Premio d’Italia to lose his unbeaten record when second to Shirocco in October’s Group 1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club Italiano at Milan’s San Siro. Opening 2005 with a win in the Group 2 Premio Carlo d’Alessio at Rome he followed that with a hard fought triumph in the Group 1 Gran Premio de Milano back in June.

After the winning ride jockey Michael Kinane commented "I loved this horse when I rode him last week and I was very pleasantly surprised with the feel he gave me. I said he was a proper Group One horse. He’s de.nitely an Arc horse."

Locally World class stallion Red Ransom has enjoyed a fruitful 2005 clearly winning the Australian third season sires title for the 2004/05 season. His progeny earnings were contributed through the deeds of stakes horses such as Group 1 Galaxy winner Charger Forward, outstanding two-year-old Domesday, Face Value, Noble Red, Kylikwong and Magic Millions Trophy winner Tippitaka.