York Racecourse takes centre stage later this month as the prestigious four-day Ebor Festival is staged on the Knavesmire.
The meeting runs from Wednesday, August 23, to Saturday, August 26, and features some excellent Group races and top-class handicaps.
The standout race is the Ebor Heritage Handicap on the final day – a race that now offers the winner a ‘golden ticket’ to the Melbourne Cup later this year.
Read on as we look at the schedule for the 2023 Ebor Festival at York, before previewing what promises to be four days of stunning equine action.
York Festival 2023: Schedule
Wednesday, August 23
1.50 pm – Symphony Group Stakes.
2.25 pm – Tattersalls Acomb Stakes.
3.00 pm – Great Voltigeur Stakes .
3.35 pm – Juddmonte International Stakes.
4.10 pm – Stayers Stakes Heritage Handicap.
4.45 pm – IRE Incentive, It Pays to Buy Irish Stakes Fillies’ Handicap.
5.20 pm – Nursery Handicap.
Thursday, August 24
1.50 pm – Lowther Stakes.
2.25 pm – Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes.
3.00 pm – Clipper Stakes Heritage Handicap.
3.35 pm – Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks.
4.10 pm – British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes.
4.40 pm – Nursery Handicap.
5.20 pm – British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Stakes.
Friday, August 25
1.50 pm – Heritage Handicap.
2.25 pm – Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.
3.00 pm – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes.
3.35 pm – Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.
4.10 pm – Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies’ Stakes.
4.40 pm – British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes.
5.20 pm – Mile Stakes Heritage Handicap.
Saturday, August 26
1.50 pm – Symphony Group Strensall Stakes.
2.25 pm – Melrose Stakes Heritage Handicap.
3.00 pm – City of York Stakes.
3.35 pm – Ebor Heritage Handicap.
4.10 pm – Constantine Stakes Heritage Handicap.
4.45 pm – Julia Graves Roses Stakes.
5.20 pm – Finale Stakes Handicap.
York Festival 2023: Preview
Already firmly established as one of the most historic horse races in the United Kingdom, this year’s Ebor Handicap has taken on added significance this year.
The winner of the Ebor will be handed automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup, making it the first international race to secure ‘win-and-you’re-in’ status for the event.
European runners often attract plenty of attention in the Melbourne Cup betting market, and the winner of the Ebor will likely be well fancied this time around.
The Willie Mullins-trained Vauban is the favourite for the Australian showpiece on horse racing betting sites after a recent victory in a Group Three at Naas.
Vauban is entered in the Lonsdale Cup on the third day of the Ebor Festival, but is expected to skip that engagement in favour of heading straight to Australia.
In addition to the Ebor, the four-day meeting at York features several other important races including the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday.
Recent Goodwood scorer Highfield Princess is the bookmakers’ hot favourite to win the race for the second successive year.
The filly will then contest another Group 1 at The Curragh in September, before heading to the Breeders’ Cup to take on the world’s best sprinters later this year.
The Great Voltigeur Stakes, Juddmonte International Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks and Gimcrack Stakes are other highlights of an action-packed four-day meeting at York.
