FIXTURE DETAILS | WELCOME TO YORKSHIRE EBOR FESTIVAL
Our oldest, richest, fastest, and most famous races provide sporting excellence combined with fashion and fun over four fabulous days.
The traditional highlight of the season on the Knavesmire will commence on Wednesday 17 August and run for four days, finishing once again with the Betfred Ebor on Saturday.
Ebor Festival Preview Evening
In conjunction with Sky Bet will be held on Tuesday 16 August, on the eve of the four day, Festival. Join us to hear the panel look forward to the highlight of the York season, click here to book.
Wednesday 17 August – Juddmonte International
The prestigious Group One Juddmonte International will remain as the highlight of the opening day, a contest independently ranked as the best race in Great Britain by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities last season. Won in 2012 by Frankel, considered by some as the best thoroughbred in history and certainly the highest ranked on the planet so far, last season saw the David Elsworth trained filly, Arabian Queen, claim the richest prize ever at York.
For many racegoers the opening day of the festival is the day when they catch up with friends and look forward to a week of shared enjoyment. Form followers will watch the Betway Great Voltigeur with particular interest as this York Group Two has already produced thirteen winners of the final Classic of the year, the St. Leger. The racecourse team looks forward to this day and everything is fresh and exciting.
Thursday 18 August – Darley Yorkshire Oaks & Ladies Day
On all four days there will be a real sense of fashion, plenty of hats and sharp suits mixed with those sporting more relaxed summer clothing, however for many there remains an extra special feel about Thursday as it is Ladies Day. As in previous years, the best dressed racegoers have the chance to win a trip to Dubai courtesy of Marriott Hotels on the Ebor Fashion Lawn. The sporting action attracts the best fillies as the Group One Darley Yorkshire Oaks and the Group Two Sky Bet Lowther Stakes are highly treasured titles.
Friday 19 August – Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes
Friday offers the chance to race into the weekend, perhaps enjoying a short break in historic York or the wider White Rose county (click here for more information on staying in Yorkshire). The fastest race of the season, the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, often decides the accolade of leading sprinter and is a blur of colour that needs to be seen and heard to be believed. In 2015 Mecca’s Angel provided one of the stand out memories after taking the Coolmore Nunthorpe, first Group One success for local trainer and jockey, Michael Dods and Paul Mulrennan.
Saturday 20 August – Betfred Ebor Day
The feature race of the Saturday is the Betfred Ebor, the oldest, and probably most famous race at York and the richest flat handicap in Europe. The excitement that this famous handicap generates has been constant since the 1840s; Mudawin a winner at over 100-1, Sergeant Cecil, a victor who became horse of the year, Purple Moon who landed a nationwide gamble and then headed down under and very nearly became the first British trained winner of the Melbourne Cup, a flying dismount from Frankie – and that’s just in its recent history. The buzz about the racecourse on Ebor day is infectious as groups of friends enjoy, relax and hopefully unravel the puzzle to find the winner of the Betfred Ebor.
For information on the Ebor Fashion Lawn at this year’s Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival please click here.
