The Irish looked to boast a strong hand for the 2024 edition of one of the season’s leading handicaps, with three of the top five in the betting making the trip over from the Emerald Isle. Having traded at double-figure prices earlier in the week, a surge of money on the day saw the Henry De Bromhead-trained Magical Zoe smashed into clear favouritism as a significant gamble unfolded. Kyprios’s workmate Queenstown and Willie Mullins’ German recruit Hipop De Loire rounded out the well-fancied Irish trio.
Whilst not on the scale of the Magical Zoe plunge, Harry Eustace’s Ziggy was also the subject of sustained support following his win at the track in July and went off as the shortest-priced British runner. Having missed his Triumph Hurdle assignment through injury, James Owen’s Burdett Road looked dangerous back on the flat, whilst David O’Meara’s Epic Poet and Sea King from the yard of Sir Mark Prescott brought quality handicapping form to the table but needed to prove they stayed this far.
Of those available at bigger prices, Jessica Harrington’s Yashin ran well in the 2023 edition and arrived following a wind-op; Brian Ellison’s Onesmoothoperator went for a second big handicap success of 2024 following his Northumberland Plate win, and Relentless Voyager finished third in a Listed event over this course and distance in June.
Result
- 1st – Magical Zoe 11/2F, Jockey: Billy Lee, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 2nd – Kihavah 25/1, Jockey: P J McDonald, Trainer: Adrian Keatley
- 3rd – Oneforthegutter 25/1, Jockey: Joe Fanning, Trainer: Ian Williams
Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st – £300,000
- 2nd – £89,950
- 3rd – £47,500
- 4th – £25,000
- 5th – £14,300
- 6th – £7,500
- 7th – £4,750
- 8th – £2,850
Tote and Forecast Payouts
- Tote Win – £7.70
- Tote Places – 1st – £2.30, 2nd – £8.20, 3rd – £7.40
- Exacta – £369.60
- Computer Straight Forecast (CSF) – £159.18
- Trifecta – £8,880.20
- Tricast – £3,289.69
Recap
The bulk of the field converged on the far rail when the stalls opened, except Queenstown, Crystal Delight, Yashin, and Relentless Voyager. By the first bend, the four outliers had tracked over, with Crystal Delight and Queenstown sitting first and second overall. Ziggy, Chillingham, and Burdett Road sat prominently; Magical Zoe settled against the rail in midfield, with Sea King and Naqeeb held up in the rear.
There was little change in the order throughout the back straight, but drama unfolded around six furlongs from home when Crystal Delight tragically went wrong and sent Tom Marquand hurtling to the Knavesmire turf.
Turning out of the back straight, Queenstown began to increase the pace at the head of affairs, tracked through by Chillingham and Ziggy. Burdett Road appeared to travel sweetly in fourth at this stage, with Fairbanks and an increasingly eye-catching Magical Zoe preparing to mount their challenge as the runners hit the home straight.
Four furlongs out, Queenstown was the first of the leaders beaten as Chillingham made his bid for glory and kicked a couple of lengths clear. With Ziggy finding only one pace, the dangers came from further back. Oneforthegutter began to make ground, but Magical Zoe was picking up best of all, having switched into the clear in the centre of the course. Epic Poet and Kihavah had work to do from the rear of the field but were building up a head of steam as they moved out of the pack in unison.
However, there was no catching the gamble of the race, as Billy Lee hit the front a furlong from home and powered to success by a margin of just under three lengths – Kihavah and Epic Poet continuing their late efforts to grab second and third.
It was a first Ebor success for trainer and jockey as Magical Zoe booked her ticket for a tilt at the Melbourne Cup.
Runners
- 1. Relentless Voyager – SP: 12/1, Trainer: Andrew Balding, Jockey: Oisin Murphy
- 2. Queenstown – SP: 9/1, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Jockey: James Doyle
- 3. Wise Eagle – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Adam Nicol, Jockey: Ben Robinson
- 4. Naqeeb – SP: 10/1, Trainer: William Haggas, Jockey: Jim Crowley
- 5. Crystal Delight – SP: 22/1, Trainer: Harry Eustace, Jockey: Tom Marquand
- 6. Yashin – SP: 22/1, Trainer: Jessica Harrington, Jockey: Oisin Orr
- 7. Hipop De Loire – SP: 8/1, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Colin Keane
- 8. Magical Zoe – SP: 11/2F, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead, Jockey: Billy Lee
- 9. Onesmoothoperator – SP: 33/1, Trainer: Brian Ellison, Jockey: Connor Beasley
- 10. Burdett Road – SP: 9/1, Trainer: James Owen, Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
- 11. Ziggy – SP: 15/2, Trainer: Harry Eustace, Jockey: Richard Kingscote
- 12. Fairbanks – SP: 18/1, Trainer: Andrew Balding, Jockey: David Probert
- 13. Epic Poet – SP: 10/1, Trainer: David O’Meara, Jockey: Daniel Tudhope
- 14. Sea King – SP: 12/1, Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott Jockey: Luke Morris
- 15. Not So Sleepy – Non-runner
- 16. Alfred Boucher – Non-runner
- 17. My Mate Mozzie – SP: 12/1, Trainer: Gavin Cromwell, Jockey: Gary Carroll
- 18. Chillingham – SP: 18/1, Trainer: Edward Bethell, Jockey: Callum Rodriguez
- 19. Kihavah – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Adrian Keatley, Jockey: P J McDonald
- 20. Iron Lion – SP: 22/1, Trainer: David O’Meara, Jockey: Rossa Ryan
- 21. Oneforthegutter – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Ian Williams, Jockey: Joe Fanning
- 22. Forza Orta – SP: 80/1, Trainer: Kevin Ryan , Jockey: Cam Hardie
Non-Runners
Alfred Boucher (vet’s certificate), Not So Sleepy (unsuitable ground)