The flat season may be approaching the final furlong by the time we reach the peak summer month of August, but, as ever, 2024 looks set to provide a thrilling finale. The major international showpieces of the Breeders’ Cup Festival and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe are still to come, whilst the St. Leger Stakes and Champions Day at Ascot loom large on the domestic horizon. But before all that, we have the small matter of one of the biggest northern meetings of the season, as York Racecourse hosts the four-day Ebor Festival.
Kicking off on Wednesday, 21st of August and concluding on Saturday, 24th of August, the Ebor Festival crams in 28 contests for our punting pleasure. There’s something to suit all tastes in the mix, with events ranging from the 5f speedfest of the Nunthorpe Stakes to the 2m of the signature Ebor Handicap, which takes centre stage on the closing day.
The Ebor Handicap seems sure to attract the highest levels of betting turnover, but the classiest runners are likely to be found in the ten events rated at Group 3 level or above, including a trio of Group 1s in the shape of the Juddmonte International, Yorkshire Oaks, and Nunthorpe Stakes.
Here we look back at the past five editions (2019-2023) and highlight the trainers, jockeys, and sires who have tasted more success than most in the ten classiest contests of the week.
Five Trainers to Follow
John Gosden edges out the irrepressible Aidan O’Brien, having picked up four wins under his name and three in partnership with son Thady. Fellow Newmarket operators Charlies Appleby and William Haggas also fared well alongside Hampshire-based Andrew Balding, with honourable mentions going to Charles Hills, John Quinn, Karl Burke, Mark Johnston, Owen Burrows, Richard Fahey, Ralph Beckett, and Richard Hannon, who all picked up two wins,
Interestingly, all seven of Gosdon’s wins came in races over 1m2f or further, including two in the Juddmonte International and three in the 2m Lonsdale Cup.
Aidan O’Brien followed the same distance trend as Gosden (all wins at 1m2f+) – proving particularly dominant in the Yorkshire Oaks, which he won three times over this period.
Godolphin number one Charlie Appleby was less predictable, with his wins coming in four different races, run over trips ranging from 6f to 1m4f.
William Haggas claimed the 6f contests of the Lowther Stakes and Gimcrack Stakes in 2023 and the 2022 Juddmonte International with the brilliant Baeed.
Andrew Balding struck twice over 7f, with his third win coming in the 2m Lonsdale Cup.
2024 Entries
John & Thady Gosden:
Israr (Juddmonte International)
Emily Upjohn (Yorkshire Oaks)
Queen Of The Pride (Yorkshire Oaks)
Arrest (Lonsdale Cup)
Sweet William (Lonsdale Cup)
Gregory (Lonsdale Cup)
Audience (City Of York Stakes)
Aidan O’Brien
The Lion In Winter (Acomb Stakes)
Surpass (Acomb Stakes)
Rock Of Cashel (Acomb Stakes)
Euphoric (Great Voltigeur)
Illinois (Great Voltigeur)
The Equator (Great Voltigeur)
Los Angeles (Great Voltigeur)
Chief Little Rock (Great Voltigeur)
City Of Troy (Juddmonte International)
Continuous (Juddmonte International)
Los Angeles (Juddmonte International)
Hans Anderson (Juddmonte International)
Fairy Godmother (Lowther Stakes)
Heavens Gate (Lowther Stakes)
Lake Victoria (Lowther Stakes)
Opera Singer (Yorkshire Oaks)
Port Fairy (Yorkshire Oaks)
Jackie Oh (Yorkshire Oaks)
Ylang Ylang (Yorkshire Oaks)
Grosvenor Square (Lonsdale Cup)
Jan Brueghel (Lonsdale Cup)
Gasper De Lemos (Lonsdale Cup)
Portland (Lonsdale Cup)
Point Lonsdale (Lonsdale Cup)
Kyprios (Lonsdale Cup)
Whistlejacket (Gimcrack Stakes)
Camille Pissarro (Gimcrack Stakes)
River Tiber (City Of York Stakes)
Charlie Appleby
Ruling Court (Acomb Stakes)
Mountain Breeze (Lowther Stakes)
Shadow Of Light (Gimcrack Stakes)
Aomori City (Gimcrack Stakes)
Noble Dynasty (City Of York Stakes)
William Haggas
Yaroogh (Acomb Stakes)
Space Legend (Great Voltigeur)
Maljoom (Juddmonte International)
Sea Theme (Yorkshire Oaks)
Realign (Gimcrack Stakes)
Tiber Flow (City Of York Stakes)
Lake Forest (City Of York Stakes)
Andrew Balding
Royal Playwright (Acomb Stakes)
Handcuffed (Lowther Stakes)
Kalpana (Yorkshire Oaks)
Coltrane (Lonsdale Cup)
Night Sparkle (Lonsdale Cup)
Alkasib (Lonsdale Cup)
Tropical Storm (Gimcrack Stakes)
Jouncy (Gimcrack Stakes)
Cool Hoof Luke (Gimcrack Stakes)
Fivethousandtoone (City Of York Stakes)
Top Five Jockeys
Having enjoyed such a fruitful relationship with the John Gosden operation, it’s no surprise to see the name of Frankie Dettori atop the table – five of his seven wins came aboard Gosden-trained runners. Now based in the US, Frankie surely won’t be adding to that tally in 2024.
Jim Crowley’s wins were more evenly spread, coming for William Haggas, John Gosden, Owen Burrows (twice), and Charles Hills (twice). However, there was a common factor - all six victories came in the famous blue and white Shadwell silks.
Four of Ryan Moore’s wins came for Aidan O’Brien, with the Ballydoyle number 1 also riding successfully for Andrew Balding and Sir Michael Stoute.
William Buick sported the Godolphin blue for all three wins. In contrast, James Doyle’s victories came for four different trainers (Aidan O’Brien, Charlie Appleby, Ken Condon, and Andrew Balding) and in four different races.
Tom Marquand picked up two wins through his strong relationship with the William Haggas yard, with his third coming for Hughie Morrison.
Jason Hart won twice for John Quinn and once for Mark Johnston, with all three wins coming over 7f or shorter.
Leading Sires
As the leading sires of the 21st Century, Galileo and Dubawi are rarely far from the top of the table at the major flat meetings but only creep into the top six here.
Galileo’s most famous son, Frankel, leads the way - ahead of the legendary Sea The Stars and speedy Dark Angel. Kingman joins Galileo and Dubawi on three wins.
Frankel showed great versatility in siring the winners of five different races over distances from 7f to 1m4f.
All four of Sea The Stars' wins came in events over 1m2f+. Baeed emulated his sure by landing the Juddmonte International, Stradivarius bagged two Londsdale Cups, and Deauville Legend picked up the 2023 edition of the Great Voltigeur.
Dark Angel struck twice in the 5f Nunthorpe Stakes and twice in the Strensall Stakes over 1m1f.
Crack miler Kingman struck twice with Kinross in the 7f City Of York Stakes (2022 & 2023) and landed the 2022 Gimcrack over 6f Noble Style.
All three of Galileo’s wins came over 1m2f-1m4f. Dubawi was a little more versatile in siring the winners of the Great Voltigeur (1m4f), City Of York Stakes (7f), and Juddmonte International (1m2f).
2024 Entries
Frankel
Euphoric (Great Voltigeur)
Hans Anderson (Juddmonte International)
Lake Victoria (Lowther Stakes)
Mistral Star (Yorkshire Oaks)
Time Lock (Yorkshire Oaks)
Ylang Ylang (Yorkshire Oaks)
Arrest (Lonsdale Cup)
Fivethousandtoone (City Of York Stakes)
Sea The Stars
The Lion In Winter (Acomb Stakes)
Space Legend (Great Voltigeur Stakes)
Sumiha (Yorkshire Oaks)
Sea Theme (Yorkshire Oaks)
Emily Upjohn (Yorkshire Oaks)
Sweet William (Lonsdale Cup)
River Of Stars (Lonsdale Cup)
Align The Stars (Lonsdale Cup)
Dark Angel
Alflaila (Juddmonte International)
Handcuffed (Lowther Stakes)
Whitegate (Gimcrack Stakes)
Art Power (Nunthorpe Stakes)
Khaadem (Nunthorpe Stakes)
Make Me King (City Of York Stakes)
Art Power (City Of York Stakes)
Kingman
Mandurah (Lowther Stakes)
Celandine (Lowther Stakes)
Alsakib (Lonsdale Cup)
Kinross (City Of York Stakes)
King’s Gamble (City Of York Stakes)
Kikkuli (City Of York Stakes)
Galileo
Illinois (Great Voltigeur Stakes)
The Equator (Great Voltigeur Stakes)
Chief Little Rock (Great Voltigeur Stakes)
Jackie Oh (Yorkshire Oaks)
Grosvenor Square (Lonsdale Cup)
Jan Brueghel (Lonsdale Cup)
Kyprios (Lonsdale Cup)
Dubawi
Yaroogh (Acomb Stakes)
Portland (Lonsdale Cup)
Al Nayyir (Lonsdale Cup)
Noble Dynasty (City Of York Stakes)
Trainer & Sire Combos
When looking at the current list of entries, 23 horses benefit from being sired by one of our top six stallions AND hailing from the yard of a top five trainer.
Of the 23, the following 14 hold entries in races run over distances at which their sire has excelled in the past five editions:
Chief Little Rock (Great Voltigeur)
Euphoric (Great Voltigeur)
Illinois (Great Voltigeur)
Space Legend (Great Voltigeur)
The Equator (Great Voltigeur)
Emily Upjohn (Yorkshire Oaks)
Jackie Oh (Yorkshire Oak)
Sea Theme (Yorkshire Oaks)
Ylang Ylang (Yorkshire Oaks)
Fivethousandtoone (City Of York Stakes)
Noble Dynasty (City Of York Stakes)
Hans Anderson (Juddmonte International)
The Lion In Winter (Acomb Stakes)
Yaroogh (Acomb Stakes)
The Great Voltigeur and Yorkshire Oaks are stacked with solid trainer/sire combos this year, making selections in those events tricky. Hans Anderson is interesting as the sole qualifier in the Juddmonte International, but, on what we have seen this season, he will have to turn into a completely different horse to have a chance of hitting the frame.
The best bets come in the City Of York Stakes and Acomb Stakes. Fivethousandtoone looks up against it in the former, but Noble Dynasty is worth chancing at a big price. We do have to forgive a desperate run at Goodwood last time, but his two previous efforts stack up well. Giving 15lbs and a beating to subsequent Buckingham Palace Strakes winner English Oak in May, he then stayed on well to bag the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket in June. If back to those levels, he looks attractively priced to hit the frame.
The hattrick-seeking Yaroogh boasts some appeal in the Acomb, but preference is for Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter. Bred to appreciate further in time, he found 7f no issue when scorching home on debut at the Curragh. Attractively bred first-time-out winners from this yard are generally following, and The Lion In Winter is worth backing to continue that trend.
Recommended Bet: Noble Dynasty each way in the Acomb Stakes @ 16/1 with bet365
Recommended Bet: The Lion In Winter to win the Acomb Stakes @ 3/1 with bet365
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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