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Ahead of the Ebor Festival, OLBG chats with Kindred’s Head of Racing, Ed Nicholson, about the festival. We discuss how the festival compares to the other major race meets of the season, what Unibet will be offering this year, and his favourite Ebor memories.
OLBG: What does the Ebor Festival have that other, perhaps bigger, meets don't?
EN: I always view the Ebor Festival as the Royal Ascot of the North – in 2005, when Ascot racecourse was undergoing a major £200 million re-development, Royal Ascot was run at York. And it was fantastic. Don't just take my word for it, the then Duke of Devonshire, her majesty's representative at Ascot, described Royal Ascot at York in 2005 as "one of the most significant racing events in living memory, something very special and a moment of history."
The Ebor Handicap itself is one of the oldest and most famous races in the racing calendar dating back to 1843. Nowadays it is firmly established as the richest flat handicap in Europe, and in years gone by it has been won by some of the most well-known racehorses to have graced the turf including Sea Pigeon (ridden by Jonjo O'Neill to victory in 1979) who also won two Champion hurdles in 1980 & 1981.
Ebor Handicap Preview, Tips, Runners & Trends (Ebor Festival)
The Ebor festival at York in August, named after the shortened form of Eboracum, the Roman name for York, has been the late summer racing highlight for many years and usually helps determine the champions of the season, as it comes at a time when the other big festivals in the UK, Ireland and France have already been run. This means that those other festival big race winners tend to meet at York in middle August in races like the 10 furlong Juddmonte Stakes and the 5 furlong Nunthorpe Stakes to determine who is the very best of that particular year at a variety of distances.
The Juddmonte International Stakes is the richest race of the entire season at York and was ranked as the Longines World's Best Horse Race in 2024 by International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, an accolade it also won in 2012 and again in 2020. In the past it has famously been won by the legendary Sea The Stars, Frankel, Baaeed and City of Troy; all four considered by many among the best thoroughbreds in history.
The Nunthorpe Stakes often determines the Champion Sprinter of the season and is regularly ranked as the highest rated 1,000m sprint in the world.
OLBG: What does Unibet have planned for the festival?
EN: York's Ebor meeting ranks only behind Royal Ascot in terms of importance during the flat season for bookmakers and Unibet will be offering it's full arsenal of promotions and offers during the week in order for us to provide our customers the very best service for the week.
Our trademark promotion - Money Back as cash if your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd in the race - will be offered on at least one race each day from 9am on day of that race.
Unibet will be also offering at least at one extra place in every handicap where there are 12 or more runners.
Each day we'll advertise a race on which we'll be offering Industry Best Price from midday until the off, so you won't get a better price on any horse in those races from 12 noon.
We'll also have daily jockey, trainer, favourite markets and both superboosts and uniboosts available each day – where each runner will be the next price on the price ladder; effectively reducing the overall betting margin on the event.
And on top of all of that, we'l also have daily blogs from our Unibet ambassador Richard Hannon (you can read a preview his first at the end of this article).
York Ebor Festival Moneyback 2nd & 3rd (As Cash)
18+ gambleaware.org. Selected GB customers. Money back as a free bet if your horse finishes second or third on selected races. Minimum stake £1. Max Stake £10. Opt-in on bet slip. Minimum odds 2/5 (1.40) stake returned as free bet (max £10) once your qualifying bet has settled. Bets placed with free bets do not qualify. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions. Standard Rule 4s apply. Geographical restrictions and T&C’s apply. x £20)
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OLBG: Is the Juddmonte International Stakes a shootout between Ombudsman and Delacroix? Are people overlooking Danon Decile?
EN: Yes, I think it is a straight shoot out between the big two, with Ombudsman trying to make amends for his defeat in the Eclipse. I was on record as saying that the pace wasn't assured at Sandown and that the relative short time between Royal Ascot and the Eclipse may be far from ideal for the John and Thady Gosden trained Ombudsman who had been so impressive off a fast pace at Royal Ascot. Because of that I opposed him that day, but with a pacemaker and longer time between races on this occasion, I am confident Ombudsman can avenge his defeat.
OLBG: The festival sees the most valuable handicap in Europe, the Ebor Handicap, how do you see that race panning out?
EN: Well, ever since I spoke to Martin Dwyer a few years ago, I always start from the premise of which are the high quality hurdlers in the race. And that has been a winning strategy with Magical Zoe winning for Henry de Bromhead last year and Absurde for Willie Mullins in 2023.
Martin told me he always liked to ride high quality hurdlers in the big staying flat handicaps as he felt unlike many speedily bred flat horses that go up in trip, the jumps horses knew how to settle and could easily be switched off, conserving energy for when it mattered. Mind you, they still need to be well handicapped and when you have a man like Willie Mullins on your side you are usually assured of a good run for your money, He trains the first and second favourites here in Hipop De Loire and Ethical Diamond and both have fine chances.
At Unibet we have seen significant and continued support for the Ian Williams trained Enemy backed in from 100/1 to 20/1, and the lightly raced James Tate trained Majestic Warrior 33/1 into 14/1. London City would be the worst ante post result for us as we've laid him at all rates from 20/1 down to 7/1.
OLBG: Can you run us through some of the races that you're looking forward to the most this week?
EN: Wednesday is all about the Juddmonte International which we've discussed, although I'm also looking forward to seeing the Epsom and Irish Derby hero Lambourn up in trip in the Great Voltigeur Stakes. The Group 3 Acomb stakes also sees the reappearance of Godolphin's one raced two-year-old Distant Storm who looked potentially useful when winning the 7f maiden at Newmarket's July meeting that was won by Field of Gold twelve months ago.
Thursday is the time for the fillies and mares to shine with the Group 2 Lowther Stakes for the speedy fillies and the 1m 4f Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks for the year older stayers. Minnie Hawk will be long odds on to follow up her win the Irish oaks in the latter.
Friday sees the speedsters take to the track with the two year colts competing in the Group 2 Gimcrack (6f) with the Nunthorpe 35 minutes later over the flying five furlongs. Godolphin's Wise Approach will be odds on to take the former, while the Nunthorpe looks an open affair. Ger Lyons' Lady Iman is aiming to follow in the hoofprints of Kingsgate Native (2007) and the great Lyric Fantasy (1992) by winning the race as a two year old.
Saturday's feature is the Ebor handicap itself, although I'll also be looking forward to seeing Unibet ambassador Richard Hannon's Rosallion in the Group 1 City of York Stakes.
Get Industry Best Price on selected races at York Ebor Festival
18+ gambleaware.org. Best industry price from 12PM, no opt in required. Selected races only. Further T&Cs Apply.
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OLBG: Is there a horse that is going under the radar that you think we'd should be paying special attention to?
EN: The Gimcrack seems to be all about Wise Approach – but the unbeaten Declan Carroll trained Lifeplan might be worth a second look. We've seen some shrewd money at all rates from 100/1 down to a current 7/1.
In the Lowther stakes two outsiders have been among the best backed horses of the week. Staya, trained by George Scott was second in the Group Three Margaret Stakes, and Come on Eibhlin, who debuted in the Queen Mary (came 9th and went off 250/1) and won her next race at 8/15 at Windsor are both worth a look at big odds having been supported with Unibet. They are 7/1 and 33/1 respectively.
OLBG: What's your favourite Ebor memory?
EN: I have plenty. Watching the Willie Carson ridden Dayjur win the Nunthorpe in 1990 will live long in the memory. Dubbed 'the fastest horse in the world' by the Racing Post, Dayjur produced his most memorable performance on British soil in that race. It was his first time tackling Group One company and he made all the running to record a 4-length victory and in so doing, Dayjur broke the track record recording a time of 56.16 seconds, a time which stood for 29 years until Battaash beat it in 2019.
York Ebor Extra Place Racing Specials (BOG - Best Odds Guaranteed - doesn’t apply)
18+ gambleaware.org. New & existing GB customers. Available on selected UK & Irish Racing. Minimum 8 runners for 4 places, 16 runners for 5 places at 1/5 odds.Races with extra each way places applied will not qualify for Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG). Standard rule 4s will apply. Geo restrictions & T&C’s apply.
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My earliest memory of the festival comes when I was nine years old. The Juddmonte International used to be called the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup and I remember asking my dad to stop at a local pub while we were on holiday to watch ITV coverage of the 1978 race. I loved a horse called Gunner B who as a five year old was trained by Henry Cecil. He finished a length a quarter behind that year's Epsom Derby runner up, Hawaiian Sound – ridden by Lester Piggott in that race....and I was gutted!!
OLBG: Finally, who's your NAP of the week?
EN: Lambourn in the Great Voltigeur.
Unibet will be featuring daily posts from ambassador Richard Hannon on their blog, the first of which you can read a snippet of below. You can also follow OLBG's best tipsters all week.
YORK – WEDNESDAY 5:20
First Legion (Shane Foley)
"He won over course and distance on his first run and has performed to a decent standard, over five furlongs, in better races since. The step back up in trip will obviously be a plus, and I think he could be very competitive off a mark of 94 on his Handicap debut." Richard Hannon.
