Top racehorses Love and Mishriff will race at Ebor Festival. The UK event will also welcome back crowds to watch the race for the first time since the beginning of the Covid pandemic.

Event organizers are expecting 80,000 to watch the race from the stands. Last year the York festival took place without spectators because of Covid-19 restrictions.

The festival starts with a bang on Wednesday with Group One winners Love, Mishriff, and Alcohol Free all featuring in the Juddmonte International. The UK event has 28 races and a total prize money pot of £4.7m.

The Juddmonte International (15:35 BST) is one of three Group One races, alongside Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks and the Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday. Also known as G One, Grade I, or G1, Group one events are the highest thoroughbred and standardbred stakes races.



Europe’s Richest Handicap Race on The Flat

Saturday’s Ebor race is the richest handicap event on the flat in Europe.
Love, winner of last season’s 1,000 Guineas and Oaks race, is the sole representative of trainer Aidan O’Brien in Wednesday’s big race after favorite St Mark’s Basilica withdrew due to injury.

Saudi Cup and Dubai Sheema Classic victor Mishriff, trained by John and Thady Gosden, finished second in last month’s King George at Ascot, whereas Love finished third in the race won by Adayar.

Alcohol Free, the Coronation Stakes and Sussex Stakes winner, steps up in trip (meaning the horse will run a longer race than its previous outing) from a mile to one and a quarter miles. Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney aims to bounce back after finishing out of the places in both the English and Irish Derby last year.


Expected Going: Good

Many expect the going (track condition) to be good (a turf course softer than firm) for the race. At the same track on Friday, the highlight will be the Lonsdale Cup featuring Stradivarius and Trueshan.
Stradivarius is just one of the exciting mounts for jockey Frankie Dettori, 50, who will be riding American sprinter Golden Pal in the Nunthorpe. Check the latest horse racing odds to see what reputable online betting sites are offering right now.

“I was very pleased – he moved like a gazelle,” Dettori told the BBC. The Italian arrived in York by helicopter on Tuesday to partner Wesley Ward’s horse in training.

Ben Perks
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