20 August 2013

Racing Preview: York’s Ebor Festival

York’s Ebor Festival begins on Wednesday and provides four days of good racing and entertainment.

Wednesday’s card includes the Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) and Sir Michael Stoute’s much vaunted Telescope is favourite. The colt was beaten by a length in the Betfred Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock Park last time when 4/9f.

In the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes Al Kazeem faces five rivals in his bid to go five races unbeaten this season.

Roger Charlton’s horse has already won three Group One races this season: the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1), the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1), and the Coral-Eclipse (Group 1).

His rivals include Toronado, winner of the Qipco Sussex Stakes last time, and Irish Derby winner Trading Leather.

The rest of the week features the Darley Yorkshire Oaks, the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Lonsdale Cup, Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes, and the Betfred Ebor Heritage Handicap.