Yorkshire Ebor

Ebor Festival 2026: Analysing The Antepost Betting Markets For York’s Group One Races

22 minutes ago

| BY Steve Mullington

William Hill News tipster Steve Mullington looks at the biggest races of the week at York’s Ebor Festival, with ante-post selections after the initial entry stage.

The Group One races at the Ebor Festival 2026 (Wednesday 19 – Saturday 22 August) are starting to take shape after the entries were recently published for all four contests on each of the four days.

The four esteemed races are comprised of:

THE JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL STAKES (19.08.26)
THE YORKSHIRE OAKS (20.08.26)
THE NUNTHORPE STAKES (21.08.26)
THE CITY OF YORK STAKES (22.08.26)

With Glorious Goodwood on the horizon, our horse racing expert Steve Mullington takes a look through the early entries for York’s Ebor Festival and suggests some early ante-post picks.

Juddmonte (Wednesday)

The £1.5 million Juddmonte International on the opening day has attracted the defending champion Ombudsman and 2024 runner-up Calandagan amongst its 30 entries.

Trained by the Gosden’s, Ombudsman was last seen winning the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot for the second consecutive year, while Calandagan was registered four top-level victories in 2025, including a defeat of Ombudsman in the Champion Stakes at Ascot. He’s also got off to a flying start in 2026.

The Prix du Jockey Club hero Constitution River, features among a decent looking three-year-old contingent, along with the Classic-winning stablemates Benvenuto Cellini and Gstaad.

Yorkshire Oaks (Thursday)

David O’Meara’s popular grey Estrange has leading claims in the Yorkshire Oaks, sitting prominently as a 5/1 third-favourite in the ante-post horse racing betting market.

The five-year-old is unbeaten thus far in 2026, most recently landing a career-best victory in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

We’ve seen Arc winners win at this fixture before, with the Parisian showpiece being her ultimate target on the first Sunday in October.

Aidan O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk has been installed as the early market favourite following her top-level form this season, whilst Andrew Balding’s Kalpana narrowly missed out by a short-head when finishing runner-up in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot against male opposition. Cases can be made for those talented mares too.

Nunthorpe Stakes (Friday)

Wesley Ward will be hoping to break his duck in the Nunthorpe Stakes with his Royal Ascot winner Bacio, having previously filled the runner-up spot in this five-furlong dash with Acapulco and Lady Aurelia.

Australian star Asfoora is the defending champion, with her future plans, including potential retirement, are under consideration. It would be rather fitting if the mare could go out on a high.

After landing the Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp last October, the eight-tear-old has taken a marked drop in form, but it would come as no surprise to see the Knavesmire bring her back to her imperious best.

City Of York (Saturday)

Several high-profile horses feature at the top of the early ante-post sports betting for the City Of York Stakes with Almeraq leading the way.

Trained by William Haggas, the four-year-old merits plenty of consideration coming off an impressive Royal Ascot victory.

The high-class Japanese challenger Satono Reve has been dually entered both here and in the Nunthorpe Stakes.

The seven-year old is currently sitting at 16/1 after a massive run at Royal Ascot. In fairness, he should be a lot shorter price given his proximity to Almeraq in that contest.