ENTRIES FOR GROUP ONE CONTESTS

With Summer in full swing, thoughts are already turning to the flagship Sky Bet Ebor Festival (20-23 August).

There is now a Group One contest on each of the four days at a Festival offering record prize money, which is comfortably in excess of £7,000,000.

The Juddmonte International was the Longines World’s best Race in 2024 and the Wednesday showpiece could be another strong renewal. International by name and nature, a brace of Japanese star horses are entered. Both Denon Decile and Redentor have already won at the highest level. A pair of French contenders are headed by Calandagan who placed in the 2024 renewal and has since recorded his own top-level victory. The Emerald Isle has thirteen live contenders spread over three yards; most attention will fall on the reigning English & Irish Derby hero, Lambourn. The UK challenge could feature Field of Gold who was so eye-catching in Juddmonte colours, when winning at the top table at both the Irish Guineas and Royal Ascot. Another classic winner in Ruling Court could represent Godolphin.

Thursday is Ladies Day both off and on the track, with the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks as the feature contest. A classic winner from Epsom 2025 (Minnie Hauk) and The Curragh 2024 (You Got Me) could clash, with Scenic a progressive filly won on the Knavesmire in May.

It is all about speed on Friday with the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe taking centre stage. Over in under a minute, the smallest of margins could separate the current thirty-nine entrants. Rare in letting juvenile horses take on their elders in a Group One, it is always fascinating to see if the weight-for-age table designed by Admiral Rous favours one of the four two-year-olds or whether the Group One experience of the older horses comes out on top. There are Royal Ascot winners in both camps with Charles Darwin, True Love and Havanna Hurricane (aged 2) potentially racing against Time For Sandals (aged 3) or American Affair (aged 5).

The newest Group One in the UK, the Sky Bet City of York will bring the festival to a close on Saturday, alongside the Sky Bet Ebor. A seven-furlong affair means proven winners at six-furlongs (such as Lazzat) face the known milers (such as Rosallion) over the unusual trip. Those with a known taste for the distance such as past winners Audience and Kinross should be in the mix.

Click here for full details of entries as at Tuesday 1 July HERE