All eyes turn to the Knavesmire this coming weekend as York Racecourse hosts the always-excellent Ebor Festival – home of the Juddmonte International, Yorkshire Oaks, Nunthorpe Stakes, and hugely valuable Ebor Handicap.
Racing fans have 10 contests rated at Group 3 level or above to sink their teeth into over the four days as the most talented sprinters, milers, middle-distance runners, and stayers head to the jewel in the crown of the northern racing scene.
With so much prize money and prestige up for grabs, the Ebor Festival never fails to attract a star-studded cast from both sides of the Irish Sea and beyond. It’s no surprise that Aidan O’Brien has regularly frequented the Winner’s Enclosure, but over the past five editions, the Ballydoyle supremo can’t quite match the record of John Gosden.
One of the finest trainers in the country, Gosden is a class act at and also away from the racecourse and regularly targets this fixture with his most talented performers. With seven wins in the Group class contests between 2019 and 2023, Gosden (now in partnership with son Thady) tops the trainer’s table in the classiest contests of the meeting. Here, we look at the runners the Newmarket maestro is lining up to add to that tally in 2024.
Israr – Juddmonte International
Of the seven Gosden entries in the Group class contests, the five-year-old Israr faces the toughest task on his first outing in Group 1 company. A winner over this trip in Listed company and over 1m4f in the Group 2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes, the son of Muhaarar is undoubtedly talented, but plunges into the deep end in a field containing Derby first and second, City Of Troy and Ambiente Friendly. Not to mention impressive Royal Ascot scorer Calandagan, and York specialist Alflaila. A general price of 33/1 accurately reflects the challenge ahead.
Queen Of The Pride – Yorkshire Oaks
Gosden has landed the main event for the fillies and mares on four occasions but has drawn a blank since Enable’s second success in 2019. Second with Free Wind in 2023, he sends a two-pronged attack into battle this time, with the market rating Queen Of The Pride as his best chance. Lightly raced for a four-year-old, that patient approach is beginning to pay off, with the daughter of Roaring Lion arriving on the back of Group 3 and Group 2 victories at Haydock. This demands more, but we may not have seen the best of her yet.
Emily Upjohn – Yorkshire Oaks
If at the top of her game, Emily Upjohn would likely start as favourite here. Twice successful at the highest level, having landed the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (2022) and Coronation Cup (2023), the daughter of Sea The Stars is a classy operator on her day. However, barring a narrow second to Bluestocking in the Pretty Polly Stakes, she has run some way below that level in 2024. Only sixth when sent off favourite for the Nassau Stakes last time, she needs to bounce back.
Sweet William – Lonsdale Cup
Gosden claimed three successive editions of the main event for the stayers between 2018 and 2020 and came close to adding to that tally when saddling Courage Mon Ami to finish second in 2023. Sweet William heads up the yard’s challenge this year, having finished an honourable second to the sensational Kyprios in the Goodwood Cup last time. Also second in the 2023 Ebor, he boasts strong form at the track, but again has his Goodwood conqueror to contend with.
Gregory – Lonsdale Cup
Having shot through the staying ranks in 2023, Gregory looked like one of the new stars on the stamina-laden scene, prompting Wathnan Racing to add him to their ranks. However, the Golden Horn colt has failed to build on those early efforts and heads to York on a five-race losing streak. On the plus side, his third-placed effort in the Goodwood Cup was much more like it, and he may be hitting form at the right time to at least give Kyprios something to think about.
Arrest – Lonsdale Cup
Initially built up to compete over a mile and a half, Arrest showed enough promise to start as favourite for the 2023 Epsom Derby, only to trail home in 10th. That sparked a rethink, and the Frankel colt fared better when second in the St. Leger, suggesting staying may be his game. In common with a few of his stablemates, he has yet to hit the heights this season and must improve considerably on his second-place effort in the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes.
Audience – City Of York Stakes
If John & Thady Gosden are to have a winner at the Ebor Festival, the market suggests that Audience is the most likely to provide it in this Group 2 7f affair. Having landed the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes on his seasonal return, he has the class to prevail and looked as well as ever when routing the field in the Lennox Stakes last time. However, having won back-to-back races only once in his career, he isn’t the easiest to predict and faces a tough opponent in Kinross, who bids for a third successive win in this race.