For those who quickly tired at the sight of seeing good horses wheel-spinning on the rain-softened turf at Goodwood, there is yet hope with the last of the big summer festivals on the horizon. Indeed, despite being staged 250 miles further north than Goodwood, the Ebor Festival at York has seemingly enjoyed much more luck on the weather front in recent years—although those who were present for the downpour on Nunthorpe day 12 months ago may beg to differ—with the meeting beginning on good-to-firm ground in four of the last five years. The Ebor Festival was, of course, abandoned in 2008 following unprecedented rainfall for the month of August, with the week’s three Group 1 races—namely the Juddmonte International, the Yorkshire Oaks and the Nunthorpe Stakes—staged at Newmarket’s July course instead. A £2.5 million drainage project later that year has seemingly made all the difference, however, and when Newmarket raced on goodto-soft ground on the last Saturday of July, conditions for the second day of York’s Music Showcase Weekend were registered as good on the Timeform scale, despite over 30mm of rain falling at the track in the preceding seven days. Enable ran out a dominant winner of the King George at Ascot on the same afternoon, completing a hat-trick following victories in the Oaks at Epsom and the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.
She looks set to be the star attraction once again on the Knavesmire, with Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks her next target ahead of a potential crack at the Arc. She is likely to be a short price, though it will be no formality— punters need only remember what happened to Taghrooda, also a winner of the Oaks and King George for John Gosden, who was beaten at 5/1-on in the race in 2014. The Lowther Stakes is the chief supporting race on Ladies Day and a possible target for Nyaleti, who was also an impressive winner on King George day at Ascot last time.
The Juddmonte International is the feature race on day one and provides dual Guineas winner Churchill with the opportunity to try 1¼m for the first time. He was disappointing when only fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, however, and needs to bounce back with his Ascot conqueror Barney Roy and Eclipse winner Ulysses (Barney Roy second) likely to be among the opposition. Meanwhile, the Great Voltigeur Stakes often provides clues for the final British classic of the season at Doncaster, the St Leger, and could see the reappearance of Cracksman, who was last sighted on a racecourse when a neck second to Capri in the Irish Derby at the Curragh. Friday’s Nunthorpe Stakes is shaping up to be a cracker, with King’s Stand winner Lady Aurelia set to go head-to-head with Battaash, who could hardly have been more impressive when winning the King George Stakes at Goodwood last time. They each boast a master rating of 135, a figure rarely achieved by a five-furlong sprinter, though the 3 lb that US raider Lady Aurelia receives from her male counterpart could just tip the scales in her favour.
Profitable and Marsha, who recorded top level successes in the King’s Stand Stakes and the Prix de l’Abbaye, respectively, in 2016, add further interest in what looks a race to savour. The £285,000 Ebor Handicap, the most valuable race of its kind in Europe, was moved to Saturday when the meeting changed from three days to four for the first time in 2009—the abandoned 2008 fixture was supposed to be the first four-day Ebor Festival—and provides the betting highlight of the week for many racegoers. Flymetothestars is the current market leader for the Sir Mark Prescott yard that won the race with Hasten To Add in 1994. Flymetothestars did well to finish so close having refused to settle when third in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle last time and is clearly a leading contender, though his trainer is one of the few hoping the ground does not come up quick on the Knavesmire.
She looks set to be the star attraction once again on the Knavesmire, with Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks her next target ahead of a potential crack at the Arc. She is likely to be a short price, though it will be no formality— punters need only remember what happened to Taghrooda, also a winner of the Oaks and King George for John Gosden, who was beaten at 5/1-on in the race in 2014. The Lowther Stakes is the chief supporting race on Ladies Day and a possible target for Nyaleti, who was also an impressive winner on King George day at Ascot last time.
The Juddmonte International is the feature race on day one and provides dual Guineas winner Churchill with the opportunity to try 1¼m for the first time. He was disappointing when only fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, however, and needs to bounce back with his Ascot conqueror Barney Roy and Eclipse winner Ulysses (Barney Roy second) likely to be among the opposition. Meanwhile, the Great Voltigeur Stakes often provides clues for the final British classic of the season at Doncaster, the St Leger, and could see the reappearance of Cracksman, who was last sighted on a racecourse when a neck second to Capri in the Irish Derby at the Curragh. Friday’s Nunthorpe Stakes is shaping up to be a cracker, with King’s Stand winner Lady Aurelia set to go head-to-head with Battaash, who could hardly have been more impressive when winning the King George Stakes at Goodwood last time. They each boast a master rating of 135, a figure rarely achieved by a five-furlong sprinter, though the 3 lb that US raider Lady Aurelia receives from her male counterpart could just tip the scales in her favour.
Profitable and Marsha, who recorded top level successes in the King’s Stand Stakes and the Prix de l’Abbaye, respectively, in 2016, add further interest in what looks a race to savour. The £285,000 Ebor Handicap, the most valuable race of its kind in Europe, was moved to Saturday when the meeting changed from three days to four for the first time in 2009—the abandoned 2008 fixture was supposed to be the first four-day Ebor Festival—and provides the betting highlight of the week for many racegoers. Flymetothestars is the current market leader for the Sir Mark Prescott yard that won the race with Hasten To Add in 1994. Flymetothestars did well to finish so close having refused to settle when third in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle last time and is clearly a leading contender, though his trainer is one of the few hoping the ground does not come up quick on the Knavesmire.