Inaugurated in 1843, the Ebor Festival is the most important event on the Knavesmire racecourse’s calendar. Taking its name from the abbreviated form of York’s Roman name (Eboracum), it is held annually over four days in late August.
This is the definitive Ebor Festival betting guide. Inaugurated in 1843, the Ebor Festival is the most important event on the Knavesmire racecourse’s calendar. Taking its name from the abbreviated form of York’s Roman name (Eboracum), it is held annually over four days in late August. The Juddmonte International is the highlight of Wednesday’s opening event, while the Yorkshire Oaks and Nunthorpe Stakes are the week’s other Group 1 races.
The final day is centered on the Ebor Handicap, the most valuable flat handicap event in Europe. Over a distance of one mile and six furlongs (2800m), owners of valuable jumpers frequently attempt to win a large pot on the level. It’s an important date for horse racing betting.
Ebor Festival Pre-Race Wagering
The majority of the leading horse racing betting companies will offer pre-race wagering on the Ebor Festival. The majority of the daily feature races are priced roughly two months in advance, soon after Royal Ascot. The Prince of Wales’s Stakes at the royal meeting and the Eclipse at Sandown are the primary guide races for the Juddmonte International. Occasionally, Classic contenders will step down from the Derby distance, or step up from a mile.
The King’s Stand at Royal Ascot and the July Cup typically determine the Nunthorpe marketplace. Indeed, the runner-up to Blue Point in the King’s Stand, Charlie Hills’s Battaash, and the Newmarket victor Ten Sovereigns are the favorites for the five-furlong sprint at Knavesmire. Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old will be making his maiden attempt at the minimum distance, while Battaash attempts to win the King George Stakes at Goodwood for the third consecutive time.
The Ebor appears to be as competitive as ever, with only one horse trading at single-digit odds in King’s Counsel. The son of Frankel owned by Mark Johnston has soared to the top of the market following triumphs in staying handicaps at Newmarket’s July Festival and Glorious Goodwood.
Baghdad, winner of the Duke of Edinburgh, is an additional candidate for Johnston, along with Joseph O’Brien’s Irish Derby hero Latrobe and John Gosden’s Jorvik winner First Eleven. Falcon Eight, a recent Sandown listed winner, carries Dermot Weld’s hopes for a first victory in the race.
Sky Bet Ebor (£1,000,000) is the featured event of the Ebor Festival.
The Ebor is a perennial favorite at the Knavesmire because it is the highlight of the week for bettors and a riddle for horse racing betting lovers. Established in 1843 as part of the inaugural Ebor Festival, it is a valuable and prestigious staying handicap in which top-tier jumpers frequently compete. In 1979, the great Sea Pigeon won the Ebor while carrying 10 pounds. Alastair Down exclaimed, “the whole place went wild” when he was named the winner in a photo finish.
In 2009, Willie Mullins won with Sesenta, and 12 months later, Gordon Elliott triumphed with Dirar, who had finished third in the Galway Hurdle despite being the pre-race favorite. Tony Martin won the 2016 Kentucky Derby with Heartbreak City, who finished second in the Melbourne Cup.
The biggest upset in the race’s history occurred in 2006, when Mudawin delivered Jane Chapple-Hyam her maiden victory in a major event at odds of 100/1.
There was formerly a perception that low draws and low weights were advantageous, but subsequent changes have shattered this notion. The Thursday draw is aired, but concern over a high draw is no longer present. Only one horse, Flint Jack (1922–1923), has won the Ebor twice.
Ebor Festival Betting Markets
First Juddmonte International The first two Group 1 races of the week, the Juddmonte International and the Yorkshire Oaks, are often uninspiring for horse racing betting enthusiasts, as neither race attracts eight or more horses. There is frequently a standout, such as Frankel, Australia, or Enable, which makes them more enjoyable to watch than to wager on.
The Acomb Stakes On both of the first two days, there are stronger wagering opportunities. The Acomb Stakes on Wednesday is a respectable Group 3 for two-year-olds, while the Grand Voltigeur is a fine prep for the St. Leger in September.
I Have Lower Stakes On Ladies’ Day, Thursday, the Clipper Logistics Stakes is a handicap conundrum, whilst the Group 2 Lowther Stakes for two-year-old fillies is frequently hotly contested.
First Nunthorpe The Group 1 race held on Friday is by far the most competitive of the week, with the finest sprinters in Europe and perhaps beyond competing. Multiple-figure fields are certain, with several renewals reaching 16 or more competitors. Although this is a stakes race, each-way wagering is limited to three places, although some bookies may offer additional places in the event of a large field.
Lonsdale Cup I Friday also features the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup, in which top-tier stayers compete over a distance of two miles (3200 meters). Stradivarius won the Ascot Gold Cup with a Group 1 penalty and a million-pound prize thanks to his earlier victories at Ascot and Goodwood.
First Gimcrack Stakes Friday also features the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings. Rock of Gibraltar was the most recent Gimcrack winner to win a Classic, with the event typically producing high-quality sprinters such as 2014 winner Muhaarar and this year’s Royal Ascot double winner Blue Point, who won at York in 2016.
The City of York and the Strensall I Both races are open to viewers and bettors of all ages and are held over distances of slightly under 10 furlongs and seven furlongs, respectively. The last two Strensall winners, Mustashry and Lord Glitters, went on to win Group 1 races at a distance of one mile.
I of Ebor Then comes the moment that gamblers have been anticipating. The Ebor is one of the most important horse racing wagering events of the year, with substantial prize money on the line and an almost usually full field of 20 horses. In this handicap for stayers, contenders from both large and small yards compete, and notable Irish jump trainers are typically involved.
Ebor Festival Program
Wednesday, August 19th, 2020
Sky Bet & Symphony Group Stakes at 1.55 p.m.
Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, 2:25 (Group 3)
3.00pm Sky Bet Grand Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2)
3.35pm JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (GROUP 1)
4.15pm Sky Bet Stakes
4.50pm The Sky Bet Nursery Handicap will be held on Thursday, August 20, 2020.
1.55pm Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group 2)
2.25 p.m. Goffs UK Championship Yearling Race
Three o’clock Clipper Logistics Stakes
3.35pm DARLEY YORKSHIRE OAKS (GROUP 1)
4.15pm EBF and Sir Henry Cecil Gaitres Stakes in Great Britain
2020-08-21 at 4.50 pm British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Stakes
1.55pm Sky Bet Stakes
Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup, 2.25 p.m. (Group 2)
Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, 3 p.m. (Group 2)
3.35pm COOLMORE NUNTHORPE STAKES (GROUP 1)
4.15pm EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes for British Stallion Studs
4.50pm The National Accident Repair Services Stakes will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2020.
Sky Bet & Symphony Group Strensall Stakes, 1:50 p.m. (Group 3)
2.25pm Sky Bet Melrose Stakes
3.00pm Sky Bet City of York Championship (Group 2)
3.40pm SKY BET EBOR (HERITAGE HANDICAP)
4.10pm Julia Graves Roses Stakes (Listed)
4.45pm Sky Bet Stakes
5.20pm Sky Bet Apprentice Stakes
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