Welcome toYorkshire Ebor Festival

Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival

FULL RUNNING ORDER (all times GMT+1)

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Wednesday August 211.55pm Sky Bet And Symphony Group Handicap (1100m)2.25pm Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3) (1400m)3.00pm Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (2400m)3.35pm Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1) (2000m)4.15pm Sky Bet Handicap (3200m)4.50pm Sky Bet Nursery (1200m)

Thursday August 221.55pm Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group 2) (1200m)2.25pm Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes (1200m)3.00pm Clipper Logistics Handicap (1600m)3.35pm Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Group 1) (2400m)4.15pm British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (Listed) (2400m)4.50pm British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap (1400m)

Friday August 231.55pm Sky Bet Handicap (2400m)2.25pm Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes (Group 2) (3200m)3.00pm Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2) (1200m)3.35pm Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (Group 1) (1000m)4.15pm British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes (1400m)4.50pm Nationwide Accident Repair Services Handicap (1600m)

Saturday August 241.50pm Sky Bet & Symphony Group Strensall Stakes (Group 3) (1800m)2.25pm Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (2800m)3.00pm Sky Bet City Of York Stakes (Group 2) (1400m)3.35pm Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (2800m)4.10pm Julia Graves Roses Stakes (Listed Race) (1000m)4.45pm Sky Bet Handicap (2000m)5.20pm Sky Bet Apprentice Handicap (1000m)

The four-day Ebor Festival Meeting is the highlight of York Racecourse’s calendar and one of the best meetings of the whole Flat season in Britain every year. In recent years, the prize money has been raised considerably and the quality of the horses the meeting attracts has also improved as a result.

The big races of the week include Wednesday’s Juddmonte International Stakes, a contest with an astonishing roll of honour, while the best middle-distance fillies and mares around do battle on Thursday in the Yorkshire Oaks. It’s then the turn of the fastest sprinters around in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday, whilst Saturday’s Sky Bet Ebor has been given an astonishing boost with the addition of £1million in prize money. It has effectively turned the race into a Group race under handicap conditions.

Judged by the current Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, this year’s meeting looks better than ever before given that it is set to feature the best horse in the world in Crystal Ocean, the best filly or mare in the world in Enable, the best stayer in the world in Stradivarius and the two best sprinters in Europe in Battaash and Ten Sovereigns.

FOUR DAYS OF BRILLIANT RACING AT A BEAUTIFUL RACECOURSE

FOUR BIG NAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR

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EnableA truly outstanding middle-distance performer, this amazing five-year-old mare, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah, will look to extend her winning sequence to 12 when lining up in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday.

Nine of those successes have been at Group One level, including the 2017 renewal of this race.

Enable will be the highest-profile horse to appear at York since Frankel, also owned by Khalid Abdullah, won the 2012 Juddmonte International on a never-to-be-forgotten afternoon.

Despite an early setback that delayed her comeback, this season has already seen Enable triumphing in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, followed up by a memorable win in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last month after an epic battle with the gallant Crystal Ocean.

Frankie DettoriFor many Enable will be one of the biggest names of the week as she struts her stuff on Thursday, although she won’t be much of a betting proposition.

However, the jockey who will be on board could take starring honours on all four days of the meeting, rather than just one, with Frankie Dettori having already claimed a host of big prizes.

The 48-year-old has already bagged an almost ridiculous 13 Group One wins this summer, and along with Enable partners another hot favourite in Stradivarius, market leader for the Lonsdale Cup on Friday.

Last year’s Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million winner is primed to scoop the seven-figure sum for owner-breeder Bjorn Nielsen again, having won at York, Ascot and Goodwood already this season. Dettori has been on board for all of those successes. Winning big races simply seems to come easy to him.

Mabs CrossTrained less than an hour from the track, Mabs Cross represents the North’s best chance of a big winner when she lines up in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday.

Michael Dods and owners David and Emma Armstrong had to endure the agony of losing out only after a forensic examination of the photo-finish print by the judge 12 months ago that eventually showed that Alpha Delphini’s nostrils were a pixel in front at the winning post.

If she is to gain a second Group 1 win of her career, Mabs Cross will have to down sprinting titans Battaash and Ten Sovereigns. Dods is anticipating a strongly-run race at York which he hopes will ideally suit her.

“She seems every bit as good this year as she did going into the race last season. She’s a bit stronger now and she looks great,” reports the trainer, who won this race twice with Mecca’s Angel. “The pace of the race at Ascot didn’t suit her, she needs to be off the bridle and then come with a late run to pick them up.”

Aidan O’BrienDespite having saddled only 14 winners in Britain all season long, the undisputed king of the Irish trainers, Aidan O’Brien goes into York’s Ebor meeting in a close second position behind John Gosden in the trainers’ championship standings.

O’Brien plans to run his exciting three-year-old Japan in the Juddmonte International on the opening day of the meeting and his high-quality filly Magical against Enable in the Yorkshire Oaks the following day.

Japan was always touted as O’Brien’s best three-year-old this year, but he met with a setback in the spring and, off a less that perfect preparation, still finished third in the Investec Derby.

The horse returned to action last month and won the Grand Prix de Paris in France and could lay down a serious challenge to Crystal Ocean. Victory would see O’Brien overtake John Gosden in the British trainers’ championship.

Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival

Wednesday 21 AugustTHE MAIN EVENT - Juddmonte International

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THE MAIN CONTENDERS

Crystal OceanOfficially the highest-rated horse in the world, Crystal Ocean is versatile, too, having shown high-class form at between 2000m and 2600m.

This year, at the ahe of five, he has looked at the peak of his powers – gaining a deserved first Group 1 triumph when landing the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot before being edged out by a neck by Enable in an epic King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Always going well under Frankie Dettori on the former occasion, he kept on stoutly to beat by one and a quarter lengths, with Waldgeist another three and a quarter lengths adrift in third.

James Doyle took over in the saddle for Crystal Ocean’s latest run and retains the ride at York, with Frankie Dettori committed elsewhere.

King Of ComedyIt is this three-year-old, trained by John Gosden, whom Frankie Dettori will be on board and he is a fascinating contender, unexposed despite finishing a fine second at Royal Ascot last time out.

The son of Kingman stepped up to Group One company was tackling Group 1 company for the first time when splitting Circus Maximus and Too Darn Hot in the St James’s Palace Stakes and tackles 2000m for the first time here, with connections hopeful that the move up in distance could well unlock further improvement from a horse with just five career starts under his belt so far.

THE KEY STATS120 + - Class comes to the fore in this race. Eleven of the last 12 winners went into the race with a rating of 120 or more. Only Crystal Ocean and stablemate Regal Reality meet that requirement here.

14/17 – King Of Comedy and Lord Glitters have it all to do as they attempt to prove themselves at this trip with 14 of the last 17 winners having already scored at this 2000m distance.

15/17 – Horses moving up in grade tend to come up short in such a red-hot contest. Fifteen of the last 17 winners had already won at Group 1 level coming into the race.

LOOKING FOR MORECrystal Ocean’s trainer Sir Michael Stoute has an unmatched record in this race with six previous winners - Shardari (1986), Ezzoud (1993, 1994), Singspiel (1997), Notnowcato (2006), Ulysses (2017).

Cheval GrandAfter a recent landmark victory for Japan with Deirdre at Glorious Goodwood, hopes are high Cheval Grand can secure another success for the country in this contest.

The seven-year-old won the Japan Cup in 2017 and showed at Meydan in March he was no back number when second to Old Persian in the Sheema Classic.

He has already run once in Britain this season, when sixth of 11 behind Enable in the King George, where the ground was felt to be against him.

“Cheval Grand is in very good form. He’s training towards York and we’re trying to get him better than last time,” reports Yusuke Oe, assistant trainer to Yasuo Tomomichi. “The ground was too soft for him in the King George. It was very unfortunate that it kept raining from the night before until the afternoon of the race and it was too slippy for him. He is a horse who prefers firm ground.”

Thursday 22 AugustTHE MAIN EVENT - Darley Yorkshire Oaks

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THE MAIN CONTENDERSEnableEnable had already established herself among the greats of the turf before this season began, but if anything her reputation has only been enhanced as a five-year-old.

Her nine Group 1 triumphs have included five memorable victories in QIPCO British Champions Series contests, back-to-back triumphs in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe plus a compelling success in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs.

No wonder racing fans were delighted when it was announced that the daughter of Nathaniel would be kept in training in 2019 and that decision has been fully vindicated.

A little slow to come to hand, she missed both possible mooted early engagements. However, those getting twitchy need not have worried. She returned in the Coral-Eclipse and was a decisive winner, again at the main expense of Magical. Most recently, she beat Crystal Ocean, the highest-rated horse in the world, by a neck in the King George.

AnapurnaAnapurna provided Frankie Dettori with a fifth Investec Oaks triumph, and John Gosden with a third. Just as significantly, she gave the mighty Frankel a first domestic Classic success as a sire.

Yet talk of Anapurna winning the Oaks at the start of the year would have been far-fetched to say the least, having made her debut over an extended mile in a novice event at Wolverhampton on December 27 and trailed home ninth of 13 after being slow away and running green.

A month later she was a different proposition, however, winning a 2000m maiden at Lingfield by five lengths and she built on that when landing a Listed event at the same course on her first start on turf in May.

Anapurna was clearly learning fast and she took her form to a new level under an inspired Dettori at Epsom, staying on stoutly to overhaul Pink Dogwood in the final strides.

THE KEY STATS11/12 – Experience is important in the Yorkshire Oaks with 11 of the last 12 winners having had at least three wins and at least six starts coming into the contest.

8 – Sir Michael Stoute has trained the winner an incredible eight times in the past, but Aidan O’Brien is closing in on that record with four wins in the last 12 years.

2001 – Enable looks a stand-out quality act in the line-up, but no winner of this race has been aged five or older for 18 years

LOOKING FOR MOREWilliam Haggas, a Yorkshireman exiled in Newmarket, loves to target prizes at his home racetrack and especially at this meeting. He has sent out 11 winners in the last five years at a notable level-stakes profit and given the good form of his stable, he is likely to enjoy further success during this week.

MagicalIt was sixth time lucky for Magical in the Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot last year, a deserved first Group 1 victory coming in a race in which Aidan O’Brien saddled six and at her sixth attempt in the grade.

The four-year-old has begun 2019 in similar vein, winning pattern contests at Naas and the Curragh over 2000m before romping home by seven lengths in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.

She has run two more crackers since, chasing home Crystal Ocean in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot before beating all bar Enable in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

She is set to be taking on Enable again here, but her versatility and toughness will always make her a hard opponent to beat.

Friday 23 AugustTHE MAIN EVENT - Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes

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THE MAIN CONTENDERSTen SovereignsSometimes you’ve got to get knocked down in order to come back up stronger than before. Ten Sovereigns began the year as an exciting talent but successive defeats in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas and Commonwealth Cup had some questioning whether he would fulfil his juvenile potential.

However, strong market support emerged in the final hours before his next start in the Darley July Cup amidst rumours he had been burning up the Ballydoyle gallops.

Justifying that money, Ten Sovereigns showed great pace to make all and win by almost three lengths from Advertise. He had turned the Commonwealth Cup form on its head and shown himself to be a huge force as a sprinter.

Will that performance prove to be a springboard for domination of the European sprinting division or a flash in the pan? He’ll need to be at his very best again against a line-up of this quality.

BattaashDespite a couple of missed goals over the years, Battaash has established himself as one of the fastest horses in the world with his exploits including a record three successive wins in the Group 2 Qatar King George Stakes at Goodwood.

The son of Dark Angel has shown speed from day one but it was only in 2017, as a three-year-old, that he really began to flourish – winning over five furlongs at Sandown in a course record time before following up there in a Group 3 contest and then dazzling in the first of those three Goodwood successes.

However, York has not proved his happiest place over the same period, having twice finished well beaten in this race before, last year reportedly becoming upset by the noise of the crowd as he walked across the course from the stable boxes.

Charlie Hills hopes he has a more professional horse on his hands this year and his racecourse performances have certainly dazzled. Can he lay the York ghost to rest in this great race?

THE KEY STATS17/18 – Horses drawn in the lowest three stalls on the inside of the track have a poor record in this race with the winner having only come from stalls 1-3 once in the last 18 years.

2/12 – This has not been a good race for market-leaders of late, with only two of the last dozen favourites or joint-favourites successful.

4/8 – Copper Knight looks to have a lot to find on the formbook, but he loves York and has won half of his eight races at the track.

LOOKING FOR MOREThe decision to replace Paul Mulrennan with international veteran Gerald Mosse aboard Mabs Cross has raised a few eyebrows, but the 52-year-old has stacks of experience at the highest level and won this race back in 2000 aboard Nuclear Debate. Trained by John Hammond, he was a similar type with a fast finish and it will be fascinating to see if Mosse can roll back the years to repeat the trick.

Mabs CrossVictory in a Group 1 race at the end of last season at least offered trainer Michael Dods some consolation after the despair of losing out by centimetres in a photo-finish in this race 12 months ago. But the trainer would love to set the record straight in this contest now.

It took the judge fully seven minutes to determine that Alpha Delphini had just nosed out the Dods-trained mare by which times connections of both horses had agreed that a dead-heat would be the preferable outcome.

Mabs Cross has looked as good as ever so far this year, winning the Palace House Stakes for the second year running despite a weight penalty and then running creditably both at Haydock in the Temple Stakes and behind Blue Point and Battaash in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Saturday 24 AugustTHE MAIN EVENT - Sky Bet Ebor

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THE MAIN CONTENDERSBen VrackieA wide draw didn’t make things easy and a slow start made things even harder when Ben Vrackie made a belated seasonal reappearance at Royal Ascot in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes. However, in the circumstances, John Gosden’s charge performed heroics to only be beaten a short-head by Baghdad in a thrilling photo-finish.

A repeat of that form, particularly as the extra 300m of this contest appears almost certain to suit, would make Ben Vrackie a very strong contender. But he was bitterly disappointing when well down the field at Newmarket’s July meeting subsequently, and although he was surely unsuited by attempting to come from well off the pace at a meeting where frontrunners were persistently favoured, he needs to put that run well behind now.

Should Frankie Dettori be booked to renew the association, expect his odds to crumble quickly.

King’s AdviceWith eight wins already on the board from just nine starts so far this season, King’s Advice can’t be accused of saving himself only for the big occasion. Having started his winning run in the relatively lowly surroundings of the Lingfield, Kempton and Wolverhampton All-weather tracks early in the year, he hasn’t stopped progressing since.

Having bagged one big prize in the build-up to this contest when scoring at Newmarket’s July meeting, he then went to Glorious Goodwood for another payday, outbattling the consistent Outbox to score by three-quarters of a length.

He will need the performance of his life to take this for Mark Johnston, but he has an iron constitution and a determination to win that has already set him apart from his rivals.

THE KEY STATS1999 - Some famous gambles have been landed in the Sky Bet Ebor over the years, but it isn’t actually a great race for punters with the average odds of the winner this century being over 21-1 and just one favourite winning since 1999.

11+ - Despite those drawn on the inside having theoretically less ground to cover, inside stalls have fared very poorly in the race with 14 of the last 17 winners being drawn in double-figures.

5 – Horses aged five have won five of the last 11 runnings of the Ebor.

LOOKING FOR MOREGodolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor has landed this big prize twice for the boys in blue in recent years and he saddles Red Galileo in his band for a third success.

Raheen HouseGood enough to compete against Classic rivals in the 2017 St Leger, Raheen House has always been a horse with a touch of class.

The winner of a Group 3 at Newmarket in that season, he went close to another success at that level later that year before starting to lose his way – and his form.

However, a switch of stables to William Haggas this year seems to have got the fire burning again in Raheen House, two starts in pattern-race company at York both producing solid placed efforts.

Haggas loves a winner on the Knavesmire like no other. Could he have plotted this horse up for the first millon-pound renewal of a famous old handicap.