Ebor Festival Preview
The Ebor Festival is one of the biggest festivals in the flat racing season. Held at York Racecourse over four days every August, the Ebor has been running for over 180 years. As one of the final major race meetings of the season, racegoers, trainers, and jockeys flock to watch and compete at the Ebor.
Four days of racing take over York Racecourse, starting on Wednesday, August 21st and ending on Saturday 24th. There will be seven races each day, with at least two featured events taking place daily.
We have compiled an Ebor Festival predictions and betting guide to help you with your horse racing bets. Below, we look at every major event at the festival, including the start time, our prediction for the winner, and some betting tips for the race.
Early morning starts for our team as we prepare to welcome you to next week’s @SkyBet Ebor Festival. pic.twitter.com/h2OTiK5Ocw
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 15, 2024
Juddmonte International Predictions
Predicted winner: City Of Troy
This Group 1 race is a showcase of some of the best middle-distance horses in the world. Ran over 10 furlongs, it is one of the best and most competitive flat races in the world with a prize pot of over £1m. Aiden O’Brien’s trained horses have won this meeting six times and his runner City Of Troy is the favourite in the horse racing markets, worth 11/10.
O’Brien currently leads the way in the British and Ireland Trainers Championships and is the joint-leading trainer in this race (six wins). Our horse racing prediction is for City Of Troy to win the Juddmonte.
The colt has only lost once and has a Derby and an Eclipse to his name. He looked laboured on testing ground at Sandown, but that was the softest going raced on so far. The running at York will be much smoother and an improved display from the three-year-old should come with it.
Of the other runners, Calandagan and Bluestocking look the most dangerous. The former ran excellently in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot, recording the fastest finish in the race since 2015. Bluestocking has been in fine form this season, winning twice and finishing second last time out after being held up until 3f out. They will be bang in the mix. Ambiente Friendly finished second behind City Of Troy in the Derby and is respected, but this will be his first race over this trip.
Juddmonte International Betting Tips
City Of Troy will probably run as the favourite, and 11/10 may be a big price when all is said and done. Jockey booking is likely to shorten that price with no named rider at the time of writing. Bet on City Of Troy to win the big race on Wednesday.
Calandagan’s runaway win at Ascot was highly impressive, and he is the biggest threat here. He is worth 13/2 for the Juddmonte and with Stéphane Pasquier booked again, he can chop it up at the front of the field. We like an insurebet at 9/2 that will see your bet refunded if he places.
Hello Calandagan 👋
Ready to be part of a record field for the Juddmonte International tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/muW2YqcTBq
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 20, 2024
Maljoom catches the eye when betting on places. He has never raced beyond a mile, but the way he bolted up at the Sussex Stakes leaves us thinking he is made for this trip. We like an each-way bet on the William Haggas-trained horse, worth 22/1 with our online bookmaker.
Yorkshire Oaks Predictions
Predicted winner: Content
The Yorkshire Oaks is a race open to fillies and mares aged three or older. Three-year-olds receive 9lbs from their elders and are the bottom weights. Raced over 1 mile 3 furlongs, Aiden O’Brien has dominated this Group 1 race in recent years. Three of the last four winners have come from the Irishman’s yard and he has another contender here in Content. Bluestocking being declared for the Juddmonte has opened the field and O’Brien’s filly can take advantage.
She finished second in the Irish Oaks but her finish was highly impressive. She sat in midfield to stay on for the mile-and-a-half trip but was held up when Ryan Moore made his move. When space opened up with a furlong and a half to go, she made second place handily and could have made all with a clearer run. That performance makes her a big player here.
Queen Of The Pride won the Lancashire Oaks by three lengths in July and is the narrow favourite for this race. Her pedigree is excellent, being a St. Leger winner in Simple Verse. However, that victory at the Oaks wasn’t against the strongest field, and this is her first race in Group 1 company. You Got To Me beat Content to first in the Irish Oaks after winning the Lingfield Oaks in May. Ralph Beckett’s filly has been successful in Oaks races this season and is a contender.
Yorkshire Oaks Betting Tips
You Got To Me has a victory over Content this season, but further analysis of the race is necessary. Content did not get her rub of the green, being held up for much of the race, but still got within ¾L. You Got To Me had luck on her side that day, but Content has her number. Bet on Content to win the Yorkshire Oaks.
Queen of the Pride is the favourite for this race, but she has never raced in this esteemed company. Gosden yard horses can never be ruled out, but she gives 9lbs to Content and You Got To Me. Three-year-olds have won eight of the last 10 Yorkshire Oaks races and they could have priced Queen Of The Pride too short.
There is not a lot of class outside of the top three prices. Emily Upjohn is proven as a Group 1 horse but has not won in six races. She did come an impressive second to Blusetocking in the Pretty Polly, and at 5/1 she may be worth an each-way bet at positive odds.
Nunthorpe Stakes Predictions
Predicted winner: Big Evs
The Nunthorpe Stakes is one of the most exciting sprints in horse racing. Run over 5f, it regularly ranks as the highest-rated 1,000m sprint in the world with a course record of under 57 seconds. The biggest story of this race is the renewed rivalry between Big Evs and Asfoora.
The former defeated Asfoora at Goodwood at the beginning of the month after finishing third behind Henry Dwyer’s mare at Ascot in June. With rain forecasted, we think Big Evs will take to the going better than his rival. Our horse racing prediction is for another win for Michael Appleby’s colt, worth 9/2.
Big Evs also has a win over course and distance, something Asfoora cannot boast. Both have victories on going from soft to good to firm, but Asfoora is prone to slip-ups on softer going. However, Big Evs ran this race last year and had a torrid time, finishing 14th at one of the shorter prices. That could open the door for Starlust. He enjoys softer going and loves strongly run 5f races. Ralph Beckett’s three-year-old is 2/2 over course and distance and his last win came on good to soft ground.
Nunthorpe Stakes Betting Tips
Big Evs has been one of the most exciting horses to watch late in the flat season. We are predicting a win, but we have seen so often that anything can happen in this race. Last year’s winner Live In The Dream won at 28/1 and reappears here for his defence at 12/1. Asfoora has been in the strongest form but has never raced on Knavesmire. There may be more value in place betting for this race with a big field.
Starlust has a good history on this course with two wins from two, both on good to soft going. He finished sixth behind rivals Big Evs, Asfoora and Live In The Dream at the King George Stakes earlier in the month. That was on good to firm going, and with rain forecast, good to soft ground would be ideal for the colt. He is worth 14/1 in the horse racing markets and has place chances.
Hollie Doyle’s ride Bradsell is another that could benefit from softer ground. A winner over course and distance, he also finished third in this race last year with Doyle booked. His win at Deauville in a listed race earlier in the month was over the same trip and going if the forecast is correct. Our online bookmaker priced him at 7/1.
Ebor Handicap Predictions
Predicted winner: Queenstown
The Ebor Handicap is the most prestigious flat race in Europe with £500,000 in prize money up for grabs, £300k going to the winner. Run on the closing day of the festival, the Ebor is the one everyone is waiting for and this year’s race looks to be a thriller. Historically, the most competitive flat race with an extensive field, choosing a winner for the Ebor is tough. However, Magical Zoe and Queenstown catch our eye the most.
Magical Zoe has the lowest mark in this race and is unexposed in handicaps. She has only raced on flat since finishing fourth behind last year’s Ebor winner Absurde at the Cheltenham Festival in March. She was short for room in her last start and was unlucky only to finish second. Queenstown has been in excellent form this season and outran his big prices in his last two races, placing second at 22/1 and 20/1.
The preference is for Queenstown at 8/1. Aiden O’Brien’s gelding has sparred with stablemate and dual Gold Cup winner Kyprios since March. In May, he finished just a length behind the 120-rated colt in the Levmoss Stakes. A 99-day break is not too much of a worry, having won on returns from longer. Magical Zoe’s debut flat handicap means she is unexposed but also means we cannot be sure of her mark.
🗣️ "Hopefully we'll have him prepared well enough to show the best that he can do."
Aidan O'Brien on Queenstown who is 10/1 for the @SkyBet Ebor
Watch the full Ballydoyle Ebor Festival stable tour below 👇🏻@SportingLife | @yorkracecourse
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 17, 2024
Ebor Handicap Betting Tips
Queenstown is our pick for a winner with Magical Zoe not far behind at 10/1. However, with such a big field and no confirmed draw as of writing, there is every chance that strong runners are held up. That is the risk you take with these races though, and plenty are priced nicely enough for place finishes, including our two featured horses from our prediction.
Fairbanks looks like a strong runner this season. He raced well at Goodwood in Class 2 this month, missing out on the top spot by a neck to St. Leger runner Align The Stars. He is 2lb well in and stepped up to 1m6f in Newmarket before his appearance at Goodwood. However, there is no guarantee that he will race off his current mark and it may be better to wait for confirmation of his spot before backing the 12/1 shot.
David O’Meara trained Epic Poet is the favourite following his strong finish in the John Smith’s Cup. He ran into trouble and could not get going until the final furlong. A fifth-placed finish despite not having a clear run was eye-catching, and he also has a second-placed finish to Melbourne Cup favourite Crystal Black on his record. This trip will be new to him and he is up 3lb in the handicap.
Other Tips
High-class prospect Ruling Court (1/1) runs in the Acomb Stakes at 14:25 on Wednesday. He won on his debut at Sandown in July by 5 ½L and William Buick rides the Godolphin colt once again. This race plays host to some of the most highly touted two-year-olds in the sport.
Aiden O’Brien’s Heavens Gate (11/4) is in fantastic form heading into the Lowther Stakes at 13:50 on Thursday and Ballydoyle fillies are a dangerous species. She has gone from strength to strength with third-placed finishes in a Group 3 at Ascot and a Group 2 at Newmarket before winning a big-field Class 1 in Naas earlier this month.
Audience (7/4) attempts to stop Kinross (3/1) from making it a hat-trick in the City Of York Stakes at 15:00 on Saturday. John and Thady Gosden’s trained Audience shocked the field to win the Al Shaqab at Newbury in May at a bumper 22/1 price. He beat Kinross handily in his last start at Goodwood in July and proved he could go off this trip.
Ebor Festival Going
The forecast indicates firmer conditions for the opening day, but scattered rain for the remainder means likely Good to Soft from Thursday to Saturday.
Ebor Festival Details
Flat racing comes to its unofficial close with the Ebor Festival and there is no better way to draw the curtain on the season. The main event of the Ebor Handicap is the richest prize in flats and there are three other days of high-stakes racing. We have provided tips for the biggest races of the festival and some that have caught our eye outside of those.
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 – Juddmonte International Day
- The Acomb Stakes – 14:25
- The Great Voltigeur Stakes – 15:00
- Juddmonte International – 15:35
Thursday, August 22, 2024 – Ladies Day
- Lowther Stakes – 13:50
- Yorkshire Oaks – 3:35
Friday, August 23, 2024 – Nunthorpe Day
- Strensall Stakes – 13:50
- Gimcrack Stakes – 15:00
- Nunthorpe Stakes – 15:35
Saturday, August 24, 2024 – Ebor Day
- Lonsdale Cup – 14:25
- Ebor Handicap – 15:35
The Ebor is one of the most exciting dates on the horse racing calendar for all involved in the sport. The prize pots for these races are eye-watering with millions up for grabs. York Racecourse allows for enthralling sprints and chases with trips varying from 5f to 2m. Fans of horse racing can back our tips at a reduced risk when signing up for Novibet and claiming our welcome bonus.
