Your Guide to the Yorkshire Ebor Festival
August 23-26
The Yorkshire Ebor Festival is one of the last major Flat events of the season which means it attracts tens of thousands of punters eager to get one last taste of a high-profile meeting.
The festival was established in 1843 when the first Ebor Handicap was run at York Racecourse. In this guide, we focus on three Group One events and Europe’s most lucrative Flat handicap event. Hopefully, the four-day meeting won’t suffer the same fate as in 2008 when the entire event was scrapped due to bad weather.
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Assuming all goes according to plan, we will all be betting on the Ebor Festival and making a little money while we’re at it. Today’s post is specific to the Yorkshire Ebor Festival, but you can also see this page for a refresher on general horse racing betting strategy.
The Juddmonte International Stakes
Wednesday, 23rd August
Also known as the International Stakes, the Juddmonte is the most lucrative race of the year at York. The Group 1 race is ran over 1m 2f 88 y and the winner receives over £546,000. It was ranked the #1 race in the world of thoroughbred racing from 2012 to 2014, and its most famous winner was the incomparable Frankel.
Betting Trends and Information
| Year | Winner | Odds (SP) |
| 2012 | Frankel | 1/10 |
| 2013 | Declaration of War | 7/1 |
| 2014 | Australia | 8/13 |
| 2015 | Arabian Queen | 50/1 |
| 2016 | Postponed | 15/8 |
There are seven confirmed runners for the Juddmonte with Barney Roy the current favourite at 5/2. Churchill is the second favourite at 11/4 followed by Ulysses at 3/1. The others are 6/1 bar.
- 11/20 winners were the favourite.
- 18/20 winners last ran 16-60 days before the race.
- 13/20 winners had 2-3 season runs.
- 14/20 winners were first or second in their previous race.
It may be a small field, but it is hard to find anyone who can definitively pick a winner in this race. It was thought that Highland Reel would enter, but as it is, there are three very good horses to choose from. Ulysses defeated Barney Roy by a nose at Sandown in July, but it isn’t difficult to see Barney Roy reverse the result this time. Churchill was poor last time out in June, but it could simply be a case of a bad day at the office.
The Yorkshire Oaks
Thursday, 24th August
The Yorkshire Oaks takes place on Ladies’ Day and this Group 1 race is open to fillies and mares aged 3+ only. It is run over 1m 4f and has a first prize of over £207,000. The event was inaugurated in 1849 and has been a Group 1 race since the grading system was created in 1971.
| Year | Winner | Odds (SP) |
| 2012 | Shareta | 2/1 |
| 2013 | The Fugue | 2/1 |
| 2014 | Tapestry | 8/1 |
| 2015 | Pleascach | 8/1 |
| 2016 | Seventh Heaven | 100/30 |
Betting Trends and Information
There are nine confirmed runners at the time of writing with Enable the overwhelming 1/3 favourite. Nezwaah is the second favourite at 7/1 in places with Queen’s Trust at 8/1. The rest of the field are 12/1 bar.
- 16/20 winners were first or second in the betting market.
- 16/20 winners last ran 16-60 days before the race.
- 14/20 winners had 2-4 season runs.
2 out of the 4 odds-on favourites that have set off at a price of 1/2 or less in the last 20 years have failed to win. This is something punters should be reminded of before they bet large sums on Enable at ludicrously short odds. Enable has looked brilliant this season, but Nezwaah is perfectly capable of upsetting the favourite and is well worth a look at 7/1.
The Nunthorpe Stakes
Friday, 25th August
The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 event that takes place over a distance of 5 furlongs. With a first prize of over £236,000, you’re sure to see some of the fastest horses in the UK at the event. The modern-day version of the race first took place in 1922, and it is the only Group 1 race in the UK that allows 2yo geldings to compete.
| Year | Winner | Odds (SP) |
| 2012 | Ortensia | 7/2 |
| 2013 | Jwala | 40/1 |
| 2014 | Sole Power | 11/4 |
| 2015 | Meccas Angel | 15/2 |
| 2016 | Meccas Angel | 9/2 |
Betting Trends and Information
There are 13 possible entries at the time of writing with Lady Aurelia the 6/4 favourite followed by Battaash at 7/4 with the rest of the field at 7/1 bar.
- 10/21 winners have won at an SP of 13/2+; only 3/21 winners did so at an SP of less than 5/2.
- 6/21 winners have come from outside the Top 5 in the betting market.
- 20/21 winners had their last run 16-90 days before the race.
This spectacular event is a case of ‘blink, and you’ll miss it.’ Lady Aurelia is the worthy favourite after an excellent performance in the Kings’ Stand Stakes. However, Battaash is a clear threat as the unexposed and extremely progressive horse has an impressive win in the King George Stakes to his name and should push the favourite all the way.
Profitable is an interesting outsider; although he lost to both favourites, there were mitigating circumstances on both occasions. If things go well, he could be a surprise winner.
Ebor Festival Betting Odds
[table id=1232 /]
Ebor Handicap
Saturday, 26th August
The Ebor Handicap is run over 1m 6f and is the most lucrative handicap in Europe with a prize fund of £280,000. The event is named after the Roman name for York; Eboracum and the inaugural event took place in 1843 over 2 miles. It is the highlight of the festival’s final day.
| Year | Winner | Odds (SP) |
| 2012 | Willing Foe | 12/1 |
| 2013 | Tiger Cliff | 5/1 |
| 2014 | Mutual Regard | 20/1 |
| 2015 | Litigant | 33/1 |
| 2016 | Heartbreak City | 15/2 |
Betting Trends and Information
At the time of writing, Flymetothestars was the 7/1 favourite. However, the entries have not yet been confirmed.
- 14/20 winners had an SP of 10/1.
- 2/20 favourites have won the race.
- 16/20 winners last ran 16-60 days before the race.
As it is a handicap race, we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that choosing a winner in the Ebor Handicap is one of the toughest tasks facing any punter at the entire festival. Only Heartbreak City and Tiger Cliff have won the race at odds of less than 12/1 since 2007. Mudawin shocked everyone by winning at 100/1 in 2006.
Betting Odds
Entries not confirmed; expect changes in odds and lineup soon
[table id=1233 /]
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher, and analyst in the legal online betting industry and is co-founder of OnlineBettingSites.com. Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.