A summer highlight on the British horse racing schedule gets underway on the Knavesmire on Wednesday, 19th August, when Day One of the York Ebor Festival will take place.
Group Ones will be staged on each day of the meeting, with the Festival headlined by the SkyBet Ebor Handicap on Saturday. Find out everything you need to know about the Festival, as well as our best bets here.
Festival Programme — Day by Day
Day 1 — Wednesday 19th August
The opening day of the York Ebor Festival is all about the Group One Juddmonte International Stakes, which sees Group One Prix du Jockey Club winner Constitution River take on Group One Prince of Wales’s Stakes hero Ombudsman.
Aidan O’Brien will be expected to improve his record in juvenile group races in the Acomb Stakes, with both Giant Sequoia and Haffner in contention. Epsom Derby runner-up Maltese Cross should prove hard to beat in the Group Two Great Voltigeur.
Day 2 — Thursday 20th August
Two Group races will be included on the Ebor Festival card for Day Two, beginning with the Group Two Lowther Stakes, run by juvenile fillies over six furlongs.
George Boughey and Billy Loughnane will team up with Libertango, who should prove hard to beat. The feature on Thursday is the Group One Yorkshire Oaks, which includes Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana, who was last seen winning the King George & Queen Elizabeth VI Stakes at Ascot.
Day 3 — Friday 21st August
Three Group races are included on the card for the penultimate day of the Ebor Festival, beginning with the stamina-sapping Group Two Lonsdale Cup, run over an extended two miles.
Juveniles will be in action over six furlongs in the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes, while some of Europe’s best sprinters will participate in the Group One Nunthorpe. American raider Bacio could be a fascinating contender for trainer Wesley Ward.
Day 4 — Saturday 22nd August
The final day of the Ebor Festival kicks off with the Group Three Strensall Stakes, before a star-studded field will be involved in the Group One City of York Stakes, including Charlie Appleby-trained Notable Speech.
However, the featured race of the week headlines the action on Saturday, with a big field set to go to post for the Ebor Handicap, which is run over a distance of a mile and six furlongs.
York Racecourse Trends — What You Need to Know Before Betting
Beware Of Favourites
York is a track where favourites have a poor historical record, with the top selections in the betting winning just 26% of the time. Therefore, it could be worthwhile to follow more value plays at bigger prices. However, it should be noted that the last two favourites of the Ebor have been winners.
Draw Bias
York’s straight course produces different patterns depending on trip. Over six furlongs, higher draws have the better record. Over the minimum five-furlong trip, lower draws are favoured. Prominent runners are worth noting given the sweeping turns and long home straight.
Leading Trainers
Trainers of note at York Racecourse include William Haggas, Karl Burke, and Willie Mullins. The former has a 19% strike rate at his local track. Mullins is a trainer of note for the Ebor, with the Irish maestro having trained two of the last three winners of the signature race, including 12 months ago with subsequent Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Ethical Diamond.
Best Bets For The York Ebor Festival
Item (Group One Juddmonte International Stakes — Wednesday 15:35)
The Juddmonte International will be regarded as a two-horse race based on the betting, but Item has very little to find on official ratings. The Andrew Balding runner has an excellent record over course and distance, having won twice at the track in 2026.
He bounced back from a no-show on unsuitable slow ground in the Epsom Derby at last time, beating the talented Pride Of Arras by nearly three lengths in the Group Two City of York Stakes. Will get an important 7lb pull at the weights from Ombudsman, and has his ideal track conditions this week. Looks like a value play at around 6/1.
Rayevka (Group One Nunthorpe Stakes — Friday 15:35)
American raider Bacio will be a vulnerable favourite in the Nunthorpe on Friday, as a galloping track will present a different kind of challenge than he is accustomed to in North America.
Rayevka was an extremely unlucky runner-up in the Group One King Charles III Stakes behind Mission Central, and she should be capable of making amends for the red-hot Francis Graffard yard this week. The Blue Point filly stays five furlongs well, but she will be suited by a stiffer challenge, having previously won on softer ground and also landing a win over six furlongs in Listed company. York will suit her better than Ascot.
Hopewell Rock (Ebor Handicap — Saturday 15:35)
The big betting race of the week comes in the form of the Ebor Handicap on Saturday, and a very competitive race should be expected. However, Hopewell Rock should be capable of running a big race at a double-digit price. The four-year-old is rated 101 and carries 9-3. That is notable given the trends: 10 of the last 12 Ebor winners were rated between 101 and 108.
George Boughey’s contender stayed on well on his first attempt over a mile and six at Goodwood last time out, and was a cosier winner than the bare winning margin suggested. Looks to still have plenty in hand over the handicapper, and presents obvious each-way appeal.
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