Steve Mullington casts his eye over the current state of the Ebor Handicap antepost market ahead of York’s big race later this month.
Since 1843, York’s oldest and most famous race, the Ebor, has generated much excitement and many stories. With a total prize pot of £500,000, it is one of the highlights of the flat season.
Officially the richest flat handicap in Europe, it is always a betting race to savour and always attracts plenty of interest due to the size of the field and the openness of the event.
Ebor Antepost Odds 2025:
Punters can bet on the 2025 Ebor Handicap at William Hill and here is the current state of the market:
- Hipop De Loire – 4/1
- Ethical Diamond – 10/1
- Plage De Havre – 12/1
- London City – 12/1
- Aeronautic – 14/1
- Shadow Dance – 14/1
- French Master – 14/1
- Nurburgring – 16/1
- Bar – 20/1
After finishing fourth to Magical Zoe in last year’s renewal of the Ebor, Hipop De Loire has been heading the antepost lists for many weeks now, priced around the 4/1 mark.
The German recruit, who was second over hurdles on his stable debut for Willie Mullins at Galway, is highly likely to have the assistance of Colin Keane in the saddle once again.
Having taken Listed honours when trained by Michal Borkowski, this son of American Poet warmed up nicely for this race with an emphatic hurdling victory at Galway on July 30th.
Speaking on that man Mullins, his Ethical Diamond made it a day to remember at Royal Ascot when landing the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes under Ryan Moore.
Attentions were then switched to the Ebor for the five-year-old, before a possible Melbourne Cup tilt. We rate Ethical Diamond a 10/1 shot for a Knavesmire victory before jetting off to Australia.
Andrew Balding’s Plage De Havre (12/1) odds were given a haircut for the Ebor, after Saeed Suhail’s four-year-old destroyed his rivals in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock.
The result could be called a long way from home, and Britain’s most valuable Flat handicap is definitely within his scope.
Joseph O’Brien’s Aeronautic (14/1) was only beaten three-quarters of a length in the Summer Handicap over 1m6f at Glorious Goodwood, and must come into the reckoning for York.
Prior to that he was fifth in the Copper Horse at Royal Ascot, and he shows all the traits of a horse that will relish the hustle and bustle of an Ebor.
Former Galway Hurdle scorer Nurburgring (16/1), also trained by Joseph O’Brien, is himself making a few ripples in the antepost market for the York feature.
This season’s Ascot Stakes second is really quite versatile, and you would expect him to run a big race should he turn up on the day.
French Master (14/1) has also been in the leading few betting protagonists for some time now, and the Gosden’s must rate their chances of scoring with him.
After landing the Copper Horse Handicap over 1m6f at Royal Ascot, the son of Frankel was stepped up to two miles in the Group 1 Goodwood Cup, but he was just short of being top class when it came down to the nitty-gritty.
A step back to 1m6f and a return to handicap company looks like an astute move, and French Master is a major each-way contender at his current odds of 14/1.
Those of you that are keen to hunt down a big priced outsider at this juncture, should perhaps consider the credentials of Brian Ellison’s Onesmoothoperator (33/1).
Winner of the Northumberland Plate in 2024, the seven-year-old then went to Australia, where he won the Geelong Cup before running a sterling race in the Melbourne Cup.
He wasn’t disgraced in the Group 3 Silver Cup Stakes at York over the same trip as the Ebor on July 12th, and now he’s back in a handicap, he should never be a 33/1 shot in my opinion.
Ebor Handicap Antepost Selections
- French Master – 14/1
- Onesmoothoperator – 33/1
Each way terms: 1/5 odds, 4 places.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
