The York’s Ebor Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in horse racing and plans are already being made for the 2017 meeting which takes place in August. The fixture has often been described as the Royal Ascot of the North as it features the best of racing, fashion and food and drink during the week.
Here is a look at what there is to look forward to at the 2017 Ebor Festival.
Wednesday, August 23 – Day one
Dana Yousef ALRoumi via Twitter
The Group One Juddmonte International is the feature race on day one of the meeting at York. Frankel famously won this race in 2012 when he stepped up in distance for the time in his career to score over 1m2f.
This race attracts some of the best middle-distance runners across Europe. The ground is normally Good in August, therefore York provides these thoroughbreds the best conditions possible in the hunt for some valuable prize money.
Thursday, August 24 – Day two
The second day of the Ebor meeting is known as Ladies Day. This a great opportunity for women to show off their best hats and dresses as the fashion is just as important as the racing to the racegoers.
On the track, the highlight of the action is the Group One Yorkshire Oaks. The best fillies and mares take each other on at York for one of the biggest races in their division. Often the winner of the Oaks at Epson goes on to appear at York. The Oaks betting for 2017 is currently headed by Rhododendron at 6/1. Bet your favourite horse today! The odds can often be much better when you place your bet in the ante-post market rather than on the day of the race.
Friday, August 25 – Day three
RP Bloodstock via Twitter
Day three at the Ebor meeting is all about the sprinters as the quickest horses in Europe take each other on in Nunthorpe. Blink and you will miss the action – as the action takes place over just five furlongs. In 2016 Mecca’s Angel won this race for the second consecutive year.
Saturday, August 26 – Day four
The Ebor is the highlight on the final day of the Festival at York. This race is the oldest contest at York and has taken place since the 1840s. A huge crowd enjoys the action on this Saturday in what is the most popular day of the week. Why not bet for free on this year’s biggest horse racing events with free bets from Betfreebets.uk
How Does The Ebor Meeting Compare To Cheltenham Festival?
The biggest week in national hunt racing takes place in March with the 2017 Cheltenham Festival. Although it is difficult to compare the two meetings given they take place across different codes, Cheltenham attracts much bigger crowds. As you can see from the infographic below, 20,000 bottles of wine alone were drunk at the 2015 meeting, while the Festival has a great impact on the local economy in Gloucestershire as it generates £100 million each year from the meeting.
Although York does not quite reach the scales of Cheltenham in numbers or economically, it is many people’s favourite meeting of the year. It is a great opportunity for racing fans who live up north to enjoy top class action without having to travel too far. The best trainers in the Europe are happy to send their horses to York – which says a lot about how well the meeting or organised and how important it is on the racing calendar.