12 Jun 2019
The Ebor Handicap Stakes, with a prize fund of £500,000, is Britain’s richest handicap and staged over a mile and three-quarters (1m5f188yds) at York this Saturday. Next year, the race will become a £1million super-handicap.
The Ebor is the highlight of the fourth and final day of the Ebor Festival at which 24 other races take place and, with the weights unveiled, it is time to make a call on this prestigious race.
Age Not Just A Number?
Last season, the Iain Jardine-trained Nakeeta gave the Scot one of the biggest days of his career by winning the prestigious Ebor. Nakeeta then went to Australia for the Melbourne Cup and finished a creditable fifth. He has been below his best in three subsequent starts since returning to the UK and will have to show he still retains all his ability.
There is a big chance that he has been treated with kid gloves this year and you cannot rule him out to win this race for a second consecutive year, although Flint Jack (1922 -23) has been the only dual Ebor winner. Odds for Nakeeta (9st 7lb) to win are at 10/1.
In what is shaping up to be one of the hottest handicaps of the season so far, Stratum is Genting Casino’s 7/2 favourite following his emphatic JLT Cup win at Newbury last month. The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old has been allotted 9st 2lb and looks very likely to take this one.
Magnificent Mullins
Ireland’s champion trainer, Mullins won the Ebor with Sesanta in 2009 and has 10 other entries this year, including Chelkar (9st) and stablemate Lagostovegas (9st), who won the 2m4f Ascot Handicap at the Royal meetings in June. The Footstepsinthesand gelding is on offer at 20/1 to take the Ebor.
Gustavus Vassa (8st 10lb) is another of Mullins’ projects and has run consistently in a trio of 1m4f handicaps in Ireland this season, placing second twice. This four-year-old sits at 16/1 to win at York.
Two highly-ranked runners include Dylan Mouth (9st 10lb) and four-year-old Crowned Eagle (9st 7lb), both trained by Marco Botti, with respective odds of 14/1 and 16/1 to win this event.
The 107-rated Crowned Eagle joined Botti from John Gosden last season, and went on to win Kempton’s Roseberry Handicap then went down a head on the Knavesmire to subsequent Group winner Hamada. Last time he produced a fine effort when touched off by Rainbow Rebel in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock Park. Do not count out this young racer.
Another horse high in the betting market is Blakeney Point, the Roger Charlton-trained five-year-old who enjoyed a successful 2017, signing off with two successive wins, and has produced some fair performances in defeat this season – he sits at 8/1 for the Ebor.
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