Kevin Blake outlines three selections for the first day of the York Ebor Festival, which culminates in an afternoon showdown featuring the Juddmonte International Stakes. The Ebor Festival at York is widely regarded as one of the premier four‑day flat‑racing programmes in Europe.
It offers a blend of high‑class stakes contests and fiercely contested handicaps, providing something for every type of racing enthusiast. Over the next few columns I will try to pinpoint a handful of winners from this packed schedule.
Kicking off the meeting on Wednesday is the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap at 1:50 p.m., a race that promises a tough test right from the start. While the market has softened since the opening, I remain convinced that the Richard Spencer‑trained runner The Man offers the best value.
Spencer is enjoying what could be the strongest season of his career, especially in valuable sprint handicaps. The Man has a proven affinity for York, having taken a win there in May 2025 and finishing a commendable second in this same contest last year when carrying a 92‑pound rating. Although a stint in Dubai over the winter did not produce the expected riches, it would not be surprising if his connections have been eyeing this festival ever since he returned from his post‑Dubai break. In the past seven weeks he has raced twice, each time shedding any lingering rust and finishing strongly.
With a favourable draw that has historically suited him, I anticipate a vigorous effort that could see him finish prominently. The Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at 2:25 p.m. opens a series of two‑year‑old contests that will dominate the Saturday card. My pick for this race is the Ed Walker‑trained Alfred Wallace.
Bred from Dubawi out of the accomplished mare Snow Lantern, he possesses a pedigree that suggests both stamina and turn of foot. He displayed considerable promise when he won at Thirsk in May, posting an impressive time, and later travelled well in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket before tiring late after setting a strong pace. Alfred Wallace’s connections recently tried a different approach at Ascot’s Pat Eddery Stakes, extending his distance to seven furlongs and opting for a more patient ride.
The change paid off handsomely; despite encountering traffic, he rallied to claim a decisive victory. That performance indicates the trainer may have finally unlocked the horse’s optimum trip, and I expect him to deliver an even stronger effort at York now that the right distance and tactics appear to have been identified. My third recommendation comes from another highly competitive sprint handicap, the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap scheduled for 4:45 p.m.
I suggest taking a chance on the Michael Keady‑trained three‑year‑old Underwriter. This colt could turn out to be one of the season’s most economical bargains, having been purchased for a modest 4,600 gns in a Tattersalls online sale earlier this July. Underwriter’s first start for his new owners hinted at latent ability, but it was his most recent run in a valuable sprint at Ascot that truly caught my eye. After being boxed in and forced to the rear of his group in the final furlong, he produced a rapid burst of speed, closing the gap to finish a length behind the winner and would have been third with just a fraction more ground.
The handicapper has already trimmed his rating sharply from a peak of 92, suggesting he is now well‑placed in the weight spectrum. If he can replicate the acceleration he showed at Ascot, he stands a very real chance of delivering a lucrative upset at York. Overall, the opening day of the Ebor Festival offers a mixture of proven talent and emerging prospects across a range of distances. By focusing on horses that have demonstrated adaptability, a strong affinity for the York track, and recent improvements in form, bettors can target value selections that may outperform the market.
Whether you are backing a seasoned sprinter like The Man, a promising juvenile such as Alfred Wallace, or a potential dark horse in Underwriter, each of these picks embodies the blend of quality and opportunity that makes the Ebor Festival a highlight of the European flat‑racing calendar.