The FansBet guide to the York Ebor Meeting In a nutshell, York’s prestigious and keenly awaited Ebor Meeting is four days of the best Flat racing you’ll come across pretty much anywhere on the planet, the high summer watermark, a bastion of equine talent, human brilliance in the saddle, prize money, sunshine, famously affordable champagne, great betting opportunities, style, glamour and excitement, all wrapped up into a four-day blitz on the beautiful Knavesmire. Allow FansBet Racing to be your guide as we delve into the daily highlights, picking out star names and special moments, as well as explaining our ‘always on’ vision of horse racing. This outlook will be gilded with daily charity bet contributions on behalf of our industry partners at the vital charity, Racing Welfare, plus daily expert insight from leading jockey and FansBet ambassador Rab Havlin via his exclusive company blog, as well as the constant ‘always on’ guiding light which is our list of stats, trends, facts and figures, crafted each and every day into the ‘FansBet Daily Racing Report’, designed specifically to remove the hard work and precious research time put into having a wager with us. FansBet’s connection to Racing Welfare FansBet are unique in offering customers the opportunity to support any one of a vast array of causes that matter to them in a number of sports, via their pledge to share 50% of net profits with partners. For horse racing followers, this may very well be Racing Welfare, the superb charity which works diligently to support the sport’s workforce. For new and existing customers, the chance to tag their account to Racing Welfare means any winning bets are honoured in the time-served and traditional manner, but any unsuccessful bets mean some good can still be done, with a share of those stakes directed towards Racing Welfare, helping them to continue doing their outstanding work within the sport. Furthermore, on each and every day of the York Ebor Meeting, FansBet’s social channels will be carrying an update on our daily £100 charity bet, chosen by company ambassasor and star jockey, Rab Havlin. All profits to Racing Welfare. What else to expect? Specials available from Monday on all the key races Guaranteed extra places or specials on every race of the Festival Ultra-competitive pricing on ALL races Ones to watch / Daily Pointers Rely on FansBet Racing to steer you in the right direction as we dive into the fantastic four days which comprise York’s Ebor Festival. Day 1 - Wednesday One of the key talking points of the entire York Ebor Meeting arrives in the very first race, as the Michael Dods-trained Dakota Gold seeks a second win in four days in the 1.55. Saddled with a mandatory five pound penalty, the County Durham stable he belongs to are hoping he can complete a hat-trick and in doing so add today’s tricky handicap to Saturday’s Great St Wilfrid at Ripon. Overall this rapid improver has won three of his last six and is also a former course and distance winner here at York. Eight of the 10 runners declared for the 2.25 York were successful last time out, but who will it be who prevails in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes? Clearly not too much was expected from Vitalogy on debut last month, but the No Nay Never colt failed to read the script and popped up with a 25/1 victory! He won’t be anything like those odds second time out, and could even be challenging for favouritism. It could be significant that Joseph O’Brien chooses to raise his sights and commit him on the journey across the Irish sea from his County Kilkenny base. Successful on three of his last four mounts, it’s significant Frankie Dettori roars back to life with a full book of six rides at York today. Chief among those appears to be the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes favourite Logician, who is unbeaten in three outings so far and could take some stopping in the 3.00 York. Nothing has got close to the Frankel colt so far and it could be next stop Doncaster for the St Leger if the pair can negotiate this test. Dating back to Shardari in 1986, master trainer Sir Michael Stoute is a six-time former winner of the feature Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes, which is the opening day feature 3.35 York. Bidding to win it once again, he sends out 127-rated star Crystal Ocean, as well as back-up in the shape of Regal Reality. After his titanic but ultimately unsuccessful tussle with Enable at Ascot, the coast looks clear for Crystal Ocean to land his second Group 1, and perhaps start to get some of the credit he deserves. The winner of four of his last six outings, one of those with valid claims to be right in the thick of the action in the 4.15 is Carnwennan, who should well be suited to the test provided by this extended two mile stayers’ handicap which is the longest race of the opening day of the Ebor Festival. A former course and distance scorer here at York during May’s Dante Meeting, he has also tasted success twice on the all-weather this season, including in the consolation race for the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on his penultimate start. His trainer, Charlie Fellows, has 25 winners on the board for the campaign so far. Perhaps the hardest race of the opening day to try and pick a winner is the concluding 4.50, a six furlong nursery with a massive 22 runners to try and evaluate. This juvenile handicap features the likes of Oti Ma Boati, Pop Dancer, Troubadour, Homespin, Otago and Malvern, who between them have won their last 13 outings! All represent powerful stables, though just as in the first race on the card, perhaps Michael Dods holds the trump card. His grey Troubadour has more experience than most of these, has won his last three on the bounce, plus has winning coursed form on his CV. FansBet Racing ambassador Rab Havlin, Wednesday’s day one Racing Welfare£100 York Ebor Festival charity bet: No. 3 Logician, £100 win, 3.00 York.
