Kicking off on a Wednesday and running through to the Saturday, York’s Ebor Festival features a trio of Group 1 events in the shape of the International Stakes, the Yorkshire Oaks and the Nunthorpe Stakes. However, the biggest betting heat of the meeting arrives on the closing Saturday, as the latest edition of the Ebor Handicap sees a field of stamina-laden stars tackle the 1m6f trip.
Taking its name from a shortened version of the word Eboracum (the Roman name for York) and first held in 1843, the Ebor is one of the most historic handicaps on the British calendar. It is also the richest: regularly offering £500,000+, the Ebor entered the record books in 2019 when becoming Britain’s first £ 1 million handicap. With such riches up for grabs, the race serves as a major late-season target for the top British and Irish flat yards, whilst the leading National Hunt trainers often can’t resist taking a shot at the prize.
2025 - Ethical Diamond
Ethical Diamond justified his market support with an impressive victory, leading home an Irish-trained one-two-three. William Buick always had Willie Mullins' runner in a strong position before asking him to quicken inside the final furlong, with Ascending and Queenstown filling the places behind him. The success followed his victory at Royal Ascot earlier in the summer and immediately saw Ethical Diamond installed as the early Melbourne Cup favourite. However, the gelding was unable to make the trip because of a metal screw in his leg, which violated strict veterinary standards.
- 1st - Ethical Diamond 5/1F, Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - Ascending 12/1, Jockey: Seamie Heffernan, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
- 3rd - Queenstown 25/1, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
2024 - Magical Zoe
Magical Zoe produced a dominant display to capture the race and hand Henry de Bromhead one of the biggest Flat victories of his impressive career. Billy Lee delivered the mare with a perfectly timed challenge before she swept clear over a furlong from home, ultimately scoring by two and three-quarter lengths. Renowned for his success over jumps, this was only De Bromhead’s fourth winner on the level in Britain. Despite the favourite winning, there was still a large Tricast payout with both 2nd and 3rd place coming in at the very juicy odds of 25/1.
- 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
2023 - Absurde
Absurde gave legendary jockey Frankie Dettori another memorable success with a determined victory in 2023. Despite needing to be led to the stalls, the five-year-old settled well once the race began. Drawn widest of all in stall 24, Dettori adopted similar tactics to his winning ride on Trawlerman 12 months earlier, keeping to the stands' rail before gradually easing across to join the main field. His tactics worked perfectly, and after returning to the outside rail in the home straight, Absurde found plenty under pressure to repel favourite Sweet William by half a length.
- 1st – Absurde 7/1 - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd – Sweet William 5/2F - Jockey: Robert Havlin, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- 3rd – Live Your Dream 11/1 - Jockey: Oisin Murphy, Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
2022 - Trawlerman
A bold tactical ride from Frankie Dettori proved decisive as Trawlerman snatched victory in a dramatic finish to the race. Breaking from stall 20, Dettori remained wide and immediately took the lead, before gradually moving across the track. Trawlerman looked beaten when Alfred Boucher swept past him inside the final furlong, but rallied gamely to regain the advantage on the line and prevail by a short head. The success marked a welcome reunion between Dettori and trainer John Gosden after their well-publicised split earlier in the season.
- 1st – Trawlerman 9/1 - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John & Thady Gosden
- 2nd – Alfred Boucher 8/1 - Jockey: PJ McDonald, Trainer: Ian Williams
- 3rd – Earl Of Tyrone 5/1 - Jockey: W J Lee, Trainer: Paddy Twomey
2021 - Sonnyboyliston
Heavy rain changed the complexion of the race in 2021, with popular favourite Hamish withdrawn before the start because of the testing ground. In the end Sonnyboyliston coped best with the conditions, settling in midfield before Ben Coen produced him with a well-timed challenge down the centre of the track. Quickthorn briefly looked set for victory after taking over in the straight, but Sonnyboyliston finished strongly enough to edge ahead in the final furlong. A photo finish confirmed the four-year-old the narrow winner.
- 1st – Sonnyboyliston 10/1 - Jockey: Ben Coen, Trainer: Johnny Murtagh
- 2nd – Quickthorn 16/1 - Jockey: Jason Hart, Trainer: Hughie Morrison
- 3rd – Alounak 33/1 - Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa, Trainer: Andrew Balding
2020 - Fujaira Prince
Fujaira Prince overcame an interrupted career to justify favouritism. Having raced only seven times before arriving at York because of persistent injury problems, Roger Varian's grey showed his quality with a determined performance in the feature race. He was strongly challenged by Glencadam Glory inside the closing stages but found enough to hold on by just over half a length, breaking a long spell of poor results for the market principle and becoming only the second favourite to win the Ebor since 1998.
- 1st – Fujaira Prince 11/2F - Jockey: Andrea Atzeni, Trainer: Roger Varian
- 2nd – Glencadam Glory 25/1 - Jockey: David Allan, Trainer: Tim Easterby
- 3rd – Verdana Blue 9/1 - Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Nicky Henderson
2019 - Mustajeer
Mustajeer spearheaded a surprise in the first £1 million Ebor Handicap, with the top four finishers all priced at double-figure odds – a great day for the bookies. Colin Keane settled the 16/1 Mustajeer prominently from a low draw before moving to the front approaching the final quarter of a mile, where the outcome never looked in serious doubt. Red Galileo finished second ahead of Desert Skyline, while heavily backed favourite Raheen House could finish only ninth. The victory was just the second win from a horse starting in a single-figure stall for 11 years.
- 1st – Mustajeer 16/1 - Jockey: Colin Keane, Trainer: Ger Lyons
- 2nd – Red Galileo 25/1 - Jockey: Cieren Fallon, Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
- 3rd – Desert Skyline 25/1 - Jockey: Gerald Mosse, Trainer: David Elsworth
2018 - Muntahaa
John Gosden saddled the first two home in 2018 as Muntahaa produced an outstanding display to win. Jim Crowley adopted bold tactics from a wide draw, racing alone for much of the early stages before rejoining the main field in an ideal position. Muntahaa responded powerfully when asked for his effort, pulling three and a quarter lengths clear of stablemate Weekender. Meanwhile, race favourite, Stratum, whose odds went as low as 3/1, endured a horrible afternoon and finished all the way back in 12th after being badly hampered on the inside rail when trying to make headway.
- 1st – Muntahaa 11/1 - Jockey: Jim Crowley, Trainer: John Gosden
- 2nd – Weekender 15/2 - Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John Gosden
- 3rd – Sea The Lion 9/1 - Jockey: Ronan Whelan, Trainer: Jarlath P Fahey
2017 - Nakeeta
After a series of heartbreaking near misses in major handicaps, Nakeeta finally gained a deserved big-race victory here. Twenty year old apprentice Callum Rodriguez, who claimed five pounds, delivered the six-year-old with a perfectly timed late run, getting up in the closing strides to deny favourite Flymetothestars by just a head. For a moment, it had looked like Rodriguez timed the charge a moment too soon, but Nakeeta dug deep to win by a head’s length to give his young jockey a huge win. It was the second year in a row the contest was won by an apprentice after Adam McNamara’s victory in 2016.
- 1st – Nakeeta 12/1 - Jockey: Callum Rodriguez, Trainer: Iain Jardine
- 2nd – Flymetothestars 7/1F - Jockey: Luke Morris, Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott
- 3rd – Natural Scenery 14/1 - Jockey: Edward Greatrex, Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
2016 - Heartbreak City
Heartbreak City stormed to an emphatic victory in 2016, providing 19-year-old apprentice Adam McNamara with the biggest success of his career. The Tony Martin-trained gelding travelled strongly throughout before surging clear approaching the final furlong, leaving the remainder of the field battling for the each-way places. He crossed the line four lengths ahead of Shrewd, with stablemate Quick Jack finishing third. The runaway success sparked jubilant celebrations in a standout career victory for McNamara.
- 1st – Heartbreak City 15/2 - Jockey: Adam McNamara, Trainer: A J Martin
- 2nd – Shrewd 12/1 - Jockey: Clifford Lee, Trainer: Iain Jardine
- 3rd – Quick Jack 10/1 - Jockey: Oisin Orr, Trainer: A J Martin
2015
- 1st – Litigant 33/1 - Jockey: Oisin Murphy, Trainer: Joseph Tuite
- 2nd – Wicklow Brave 9/1 - Jockey: Jack Kennedy, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd – Suegioo 40/1 - Jockey: Martin Harley, Trainer: Marco Botti
2014
- 1st – Mutual Regard 20/1 - Jockey: Louis Steward, Trainer: Johnny Murtagh
- 2nd – Lord Van Percy 14/1 - Jockey: David Probert, Trainer: Andrew Balding
- 3rd – Elidor 20/1 - Jockey: Paul Hanagan, Trainer: Mick Channon