The Ebor Festival is York's premier meeting of the year and takes place over four days in mid-August, mixing Group 1 action and the famous Ebor Handicap at the leading racecourse in the north of England.
The Knavesmire plays host to these four high-class days of racing, the last of the key British summer festivals of Flat action before autumn creeps in.
There is plenty of Group-race action, including the Juddmonte International, the Darley Yorkshire Oaks and the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes. Racing icons such as Frankel (International Stakes 2012), Enable (Yorkshire Oaks 2017, 2019) and Baaeed (International Stakes 2022) have won here in recent the past.
The festival is named after the Ebor Handicap, Europe's richest handicap flat race and the highlight of the final day.
The York Ebor Festival has been referred to as 'the Royal Ascot of the North' and it is one of the proudest of sporting traditions held annually in Yorkshire.
What | Ebor Festival |
Where | York Racecourse, York |
When | Wednesday 23rd – Saturday 26th August, 2023 |
How to watch | bet365 Sports Live Streaming, ITV & Racing TV |
Odds | Ebor: Live Your Dream 10/1, Real Dream 10/1, Absurde 12/1, First Ruler 12/1, Calling The Wind 14/1 |
Time | Race Name | Race Type/Age | Prize Money | Distance |
1.50 | Symphony Group Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £120,000 | 5½ furlongs |
2.25 | Acomb Stakes | Group 3 / 2YO | £165,000 | 7 furlongs |
3.00 | Great Voltigeur Stakes | Group 2 / 3YO | £250,000 | 1m4f |
3.35 | Juddmonte International | Group 1 / 3YO+ | £1,000,000 | 1m2f |
4.10 | Stayers Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £100,000 | 2m |
4.45 | Fillies' Handicap | Handicap / 3YO+ | £100,000 | 5f |
5.20 | Nursery | Handicap / 2YO | £100,000 | 6f |
Day one is headlined by the Juddmonte International Stakes, a Group 1 over a mile-and-a-quarter that often sees the Classic generation stepping up to take on their proven elders. It has a rich history, with Frankel on the winners' list alongside the likes of Sea The Stars, Australia, Roaring Lion, Ghaiyyath, Mishriff and Baaeed in recent times.
Mostahdaf is 10/3 to win this year's race, with Paddington 7/2 and Epsom and Irish Derby winner Auguste Rodin at 5/1.
The Acomb Stakes and Great Voltigeur Stakes are other key races on the opening day at York.
Time | Race Name | Race Type/Age | Prize Money | Distance |
1.50 | Lowther Stakes | Group 2 / 2YO | £250,000 | 6f |
2.25 | Goffs UK Yearling Stakes | Handicap / 2YO | £300,000 | 6f |
3.00 | Clipper Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £150,000 | 1m |
3.35 | Yorkshire Oaks | Group 1 / 3YO+ | £500,000 | 1m4f |
4.10 | Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes | Listed / 3YO+ | £100,000 | 1m4f |
4.45 | Nursery | Handicap / 2YO | £100,000 | 7f |
5.20 | EBF Fillies' Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £100,000 | 7f |
Thursday is Ladies Day at York, on and off the track, with the famous Yorkshire Oaks the feature race on day two.
The Yorkshire Oaks often features horses that also ran in The Oaks at Epsom. The first to achieve victory in both races was Brown Duchess in 1861, and the most recent was Snowfall in 2021.
Enable won this race twice, in 2017 and 2019, for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori, becoming only the third dual winner.
Emily Upjohn heads the betting at 3/1, with Savethelastdance at 7/2 and this year's Epsom Oaks heroine Soul Sister at 7/2.
Time | Race Name | Race Type/Age | Prize Money | Distance |
1.50 | Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £120,000 | 1m4f |
2.25 | Lonsdale Cup | Group 2 / 3YO+ | £250,000 | 2m |
3.00 | Gimcrack Stakes | Group 2 / 2YO | £250,000 | 6f |
3.35 | Nunthorpe Stakes | Group 1 / 3YO+ | £500,000 | 5f |
4.10 | EBF Fillies' Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £100,000 | 1m2f |
4.45 | Convivial Maiden Stakes | Maiden / 2YO | £100,000 | 7f |
5.20 | Mile Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £100,000 | 1m |
Day three at York brings with it the speed-test that is the Nunthorpe Stakes over the flying five-furlongs.
This Group 1 event has been won in recent times by the likes of Borderlescott, Sole Power, Mecca's Angel and Battaash – the only two-time winners of the Nunthorpe since Sharpo became the second to complete a hat-trick (1980, 1981 & 1982).
Highfield Princess is 3/1 to emulate them by retaining her crown this year, while Royal Ascot winner Bradsell is 10/3 and Azure Blue trades at 10/1.
Time | Race Name | Race Type/Age | Prize Money | Distance |
1.50 | Strensall Stakes | Group 3 / 3YO+ | £170,000 | 1m1f |
2.25 | Melrose Stakes | Handicap / 3YO | £170,000 | 1m6f |
3.00 | City Of York Stakes | Group 2 / 3YO+ | £500,000 | 7f |
3.35 | Ebor | Handicap / 4YO+ | £500,000 | 1m6f |
4.10 | Constantine Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £100,000 | 6f |
4.45 | Roses Stakes | Listed / 2YO | £100,000 | 5f |
5.20 | Finale Stakes | Handicap / 3YO+ | £100,000 | 1m2f |
The final day of the meeting centres around the world famous Ebor Handicap, a one-mile-six-furlong test of stamina and tactical speed around York's famous Knavesmire.
The event is named after the shortened form of Eboracum, the Roman name for York. It was first run in 1843, and it remains as one of Europe's premier handicaps.
The field will be finalised closer to race-day but Live Your Dream at 10/1, Real Dream at 10/1 and Absurde 12/1 are amongst the ante-post contenders for Ebor glory.
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