Ebor Festival’s final day from York: horse racing – live

Key events2m agoYORK 1.50 RESULT: Archivist streaks home in Strensall1h agoPreambleHamad Al Jehani had two big handicap winners at Glorious Goodwood. Archivist has just followed up in the Group Three Strensall Stakes and Evening Saigon, the Stewards’ Cup winner, will attempt to do the same in the Constantine Handicap at 4.10.YORK 1.50 RESULT: Archivist streaks home in Strensall1. ARCHIVIST 9-1, 2. Saber Strike 8-1, 3. Persica 11-2. 11 ran.That’s a cracking start to the day tips-wise. Thought he’d run well, but have to be honest, I didn’t think he’d win by half the track.Off and running in the Strensall Stakes …Point Lynas fast away, Hankelow prominent too …Damysus mid-division, Archivist just behind, Geryon now disputes second …Coming down the middle of the track, Archivist finishing well and goes into the lead .. he’s clear … he’s absolutely bolting up, my oh my … Archivist by half a dozen lengths at least!But not any more … Damysus is the one for late money, down to 3-1, with Geryon out to 9-2.They are on the way to post for the Strensall Stakes, Geryon and Damysus are now joint-favourites at 4-1 with Hankelow next in on 11-2, Persica on 6-1, Jonquil – the runner-up in season’s French 2,000 Guineas – at 15-2 and Archivist at 8-1. Wide open, in other words.Richard Hannon’s ultra-consistent Persica and Hamad Al Jehani’s ARCHIVIST are also definite contenders, and I ended up plumping for the latter when tipping for the card yesterday. He put up a career-best to win the Golden Mile at Goodwood last time out from a horrible draw and would not need to improve too much to go close.Golden Mile 2026A few punters at least seem to agree, as he’s down to around 17-2 having been as big as 16-1 overnight.Karl Burke’s Hankelow is another interesting runner dropping in class – he’s been taking on Group One opposition on his last two starts, the most recent of which was the Prix du Jockey Club – French Derby – at Chantilly.He finished 13th of 16 but the video is worth a look if only for the sumptuous backdrop of the Château and Grandes Écuries.French Derby 2026A Group Three over nine furlongs feels like much more his level and he is currently trading as the third-favourite for the Strensall at around 11-2.After weeks of wildfires, drought warnings and record temperatures, the weather has been less than ideal for a summer racing festival here in Yorkshire so far this week. It’s a very pleasant afternoon today, though, and a crowd of around 25k can spread out, kick back and relax before the afternoon’s serious business begins.We kick off with the Strensall Stakes, a Group Three over a fraction less than nine furlongs and 11 runners going to post in the absence of Expanded and Naqeeb. Damysus was the early favourite after the decs on Thursday, and his form behind Item in the Group Two York Stakes here last time …York Stakes… looks a good deal stronger after Item’s success in a top-class International Stakes here three days ago.He has been edged out at the top of the market today, however, as Ger Lyons’s Geryon has come in for plenty of support. He won a similar contest at Leopardstown in mid-July and then stepped up a full three furlongs in trip when second to Enceladus in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.Gordon StakesPreambleHello from the Knavesmire in York, where Dick Turpin came to a sticky end back in 1739 and racehorses have been contesting the Ebor Handicap since 1843. It’s the fourth and final day of York’s festival meeting and that, of course, means that the Ebor itself is the centrepiece of the card for a sell-out crowd.Ever since its inception, the Ebor has been, unashamedly, a race for the punters – but also a handicap that is more than “just” a handicap.Top-class stayers have been winning this race for much of its history. Way back in 1983, Jupiter Island landed the spoils on the Knavesmire with Lester Piggott in the plate, before going on to become the first European-trained winner of the Japan Cup under a power-packed Pat Eddery drive.Japan CupAnd a big boost to the prize fund in recent years has seen the standard improve still further, with Trawlerman, a subsequent Gold Cup winner at Ascot, landing the spoils in 2022 and Ethical Diamond picking up last year’s race en route to a remarkable success in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.Breeders’ Cup Turf 2025Willie Mullins, Ethical Diamond’s trainer, will be going for a third win in four years this afternoon with two contenders – Love Me Tender and Mr Hollywood – but at least a dozen of the 22 runners will seriously fancy their chances.The Ebor is due off at 3.35 and the Group One City Of York Stakes at 3.00 is the main supporting race on a card that is underway with the Strensall Stakes at 1.50. Felix dies Eboracum, as they might have said around these parts back in the day.