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Key events
Richard Hannon’s ultra-consistent Persica and Hamad Al Jehani’s ARCHIVIST are also definite contenders, and I ended up plumping for the latter when tipping for the card yesterday. He put up a career-best to win the Golden Mile at Goodwood last time out from a horrible draw and would not need to improve too much to go close.
A few punters at least seem to agree, as he’s down to around 17-2 having been as big as 16-1 overnight.
Karl Burke’s Hankelow is another interesting runner dropping in class – he’s been taking on Group One opposition on his last two starts, the most recent of which was the Prix du Jockey Club – French Derby – at Chantilly.
He finished 13th of 16 but the video is worth a look if only for the sumptuous backdrop of the Château and Grandes Écuries.
A Group Three over nine furlongs feels like much more his level and he is currently trading as the third-favourite for the Strensall at around 11-2.
After weeks of wildfires, drought warnings and record temperatures, the weather has been less than ideal for a summer racing festival here in Yorkshire so far this week. It’s a very pleasant afternoon today, though, and a crowd of around 25k can spread out, kick back and relax before the afternoon’s serious business begins.
We kick off with the Strensall Stakes, a Group Three over a fraction less than nine furlongs and 11 runners going to post in the absence of Expanded and Naqeeb.
Damysus was the early favourite after the decs on Thursday, and his form behind Item in the Group Two York Stakes here last time …
… looks a good deal stronger after Item’s success in a top-class International Stakes here three days ago.
He has been edged out at the top of the market today, however, as Ger Lyons’s Geryon has come in for plenty of support. He won a similar contest at Leopardstown in mid-July and then stepped up a full three furlongs in trip when second to Enceladus in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Preamble
Hello from the Knavesmire in York, where Dick Turpin came to a sticky end back in 1739 and racehorses have been contesting the Ebor Handicap since 1843. It’s the fourth and final day of York’s festival meeting and that, of course, means that the Ebor itself is the centrepiece of the card for a sell-out crowd.
Ever since its inception, the Ebor has been, unashamedly, a race for the punters – but also a handicap that is more than “just” a handicap.
Top-class stayers have been winning this race for much of its history. Way back in 1983, Jupiter Island landed the spoils on the Knavesmire with Lester Piggott in the plate, before going on to become the first European-trained winner of the Japan Cup under a power-packed Pat Eddery drive.
And a big boost to the prize fund in recent years has seen the standard improve still further, with Trawlerman, a subsequent Gold Cup winner at Ascot, landing the spoils in 2022 and Ethical Diamond picking up last year’s race en route to a remarkable success in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Willie Mullins, Ethical Diamond’s trainer, will be going for a third win in four years this afternoon with two contenders – Love Me Tender and Mr Hollywood – but at least a dozen of the 22 runners will seriously fancy their chances.
The Ebor is due off at 3.35 and the Group One City Of York Stakes at 3.00 is the main supporting race on a card that is underway with the Strensall Stakes at 1.50. Felix dies Eboracum, as they might have said around these parts back in the day.
