Day One of Ebor Festival: Key Irish Horses to Watch The world famous Ebor Festival gets underway at York on Wednesday afternoon with the Group 1 Juddmonte International the star attraction. We're taking a look at the Irish-based contenders set to line up on day one of the festival. BOYLE Sports Betting Offer If you already have a BOYLE Sports account, check out more of the best betting sites and online casinos Kendall Roy & Cuban Grey - Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap (13:50) The opening contest is the heritage handicap over 5 1⁄2-furlongs and there are two Irish contenders for smaller operations. Kendall Roy runs for the Katie McGivern team and has a top jockey booking, as Colin Keane rides. The four-year-old has five wins in 15 turf starts and may need some more to defy his mark of 90. Meanwhile, trainer Patrick McKenna has the services of Hollie Doyle on board Cuban Grey. He's rated 81 and is much more exposed, while he has yet to score off a mark higher than 74. Italy - Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (14:25) Wootton Bassett colt Italy really impressed some shrewd judges with his debut win over 7f at the Curragh in May. The Aidan O'Brien-trained inmate was odds-on for the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in his sole outing since but was denied by the promising Saba Desert in the Godolphin blue. Italy gets a chance to rebound in the Acomb Stakes and it's much too soon to consider writing him off. Lambourn, Carmers, Mount Kilimanjaro, Stay True & Thrice - Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (15:00) A field of seven has been declared for the Great Voltigeur and a whopping five are trained in Ireland — four by Aidan O'Brien. Lambourn has won the English and Irish Derbys on his two most recent starts and looks the one to beat. O'Brien is also saddling Mount Kilimanjaro, Stay True & Thrice — a trio of colts with plenty of promise running in different silks for the Coolmore operations and various partners. Stay True was last spotted losing out narrowly to Puppet Master in the Lingfield Derby Trial and looked a touch unlucky there. Paddy Twomey completes the Irish-based list of contenders with his Wootton Bassett colt, Carmers. He's 3-3 so far including the Group 2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot in June and looks a fascinating contender. Delacroix - Juddmonte International Stakes (15:35) Delacroix came from the clouds to win the Eclipse at Sandown last month, flying home on the outside under Ryan Moore as they claimed Ombudsman in the last stride. The duo meet again in the day one feature race at York along with unbeaten French raider Daryz, intriguing Japanese ace Danon Decile and See The Fire for Andrew Balding. Alphonse Le Grande - Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (16:10) Tony Martin is always a feared trainer when he sends a runner to Britain and he saddles Alphonse Le Grande in the major stayers' handicap on day one. The Sea The Stars gelding only has two turf wins but one was the Chester Cup and the other the Cesarewitch at Newmarket — both in 2024. He met his share of trouble in the Ascot Stakes in June when last spotted and is respected with William Buick booked to ride. Saratoga Special & Sarahmae - IRE Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Fillies' Handicap (16:45) Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley will hope to get into the winners' enclosure with Saratoga Special, a filly by Mehmas that has taken on some tough challenges since winning a 5f Cork maiden in April. She looks high enough in the ratings reverting to a handicap. Finally, Denis Hogan's Sarahmae is bidding to gain a fourth win of 2025 when she lines up in the 5f fillies' contest that is the penultimate race of day one. The filly is 7lb higher than when scoring at the Curragh 11 days ago.
