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Features

York set for Ebor treat

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 17/08/2009

York will host its finest racing week of the calendar starting from Tuesday with four days of exciting action lined up.

The festival is the oldest and richest that is held at the course and on the opening day, the £600,000 Juddmonte International, a contest ranked in the top ten middle distance contests in the world, will be at the centre of attention.

The distance is one mile two furlongs and 88 yards. Last year's winner was Duke of Marmalade under the mount of Johnny Murtagh and trained by Aidan O'Brien, the same team that have had success with Yeats and Henrythenavigator.

Racegoers will be excited at the prospect of witnessing Sea the Stars, the 2,000 Guineas, Investec Derby and Coral-Eclipse Stakes winner.

Ground conditions depending, the Cape Cross colt will race, although trainer John Oxx has insisted the champion horse needs good ground to find form.

The showpiece of the week, the Ebor on Wednesday, could see Changingoftheguard, the online betting favourite, run against Sir Michael Stoute's impressive Warringah, after he ruled out Saptapadi for the illustrious 3.25pm mile-and-three-quarter race.

Can Changingoftheguard take the Ebor honours? - Latest Racing Betting

Last year 25/1 outsider All The Good, under Dane O'Neill and trained by this season's beleaguered Saeed bin Suroor.

It was first held at the Knavesmire in 1843.

Thursday brings ladies day so expect hats and frilly skirts aplenty. But there is also some quality racing to be held with the frantic six furlong St Leger Yearling Stakes.

Friday's head turner is the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs.

Kingsgate Native is expected to feature and won the race in 2006 with Jimmy Quinn onboard and last year saw Borderlescott first passed the post, rode by Pat Cosgrave, is also in contention to defend the crown and stands at 10/1 on the exchanges.

It should be noted that Kingsgate Native is firm favourite at 9/4 to win once again.

Other horses to consider include Radiohead, Fleeting Spirit and Amour Propre.

Race officials will be hoping the weather holds out as the land the course sits on is susceptible to the elements. Rain will only diminish the class and talent on show as the likes of Sea the Stars will not appear.

An excellent four days of racing awaits and the oldest race held at the racecourse, the Ebor, is once again sure to stir the imagination of the racing fraternity.

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