RacingBetter News
	Tuesday 10th August 2021

Four Reasons to Look Forward to the 2021 Yorkshire Ebor Festival

As the flat racing season begins to wind down to its conclusion on British Champions Day at Ascot in mid-October, the Yorkshire Ebor Festival is on the horizon. Held at the historic York Racecourse between 18-21 August, the meeting is one of the biggest on the flat racing calendar.

With the pandemic beginning to loosen its grip here in the United Kingdom, and race meetings starting to have a bit more normality about them, there are plenty of reasons to get excited about this year’s meeting. So, read on as we give you four great reasons to look forward to the 2021 Yorkshire Ebor Festival…

1. The return of large crowds

Just like every sport, horse racing suffered massively during the peak of the pandemic. Meetings that were held behind closed doors had an eerie feel about them, and it just wasn’t the same watching on from your sofa at home as the horses raced towards the finish with no roar from the crowd packed into the concourses. That’s why it’s music to the ears of many that large crowds are beginning to filter back through the gates of racecourses up and down the country, and the Yorkshire Ebor Festival will be one of the first to welcome back large attendances since the 2020 Cheltenham Festival 18 months ago!

2. Top-class racing

With three Group 1 races headlining the first three days — the Juddmonte International Stakes, the Yorkshire Oaks and the Nunthorpe Stakes — and of course the Ebor Handicap itself, the richest race of its type in Europe, on the final day, each of the four days are topped by a thrilling race. However, the action doesn’t end there, as there are also five Group 2 races, two Group 3 outings, two Listed races and three Heritage Handicaps (including the Ebor) spread throughout the course of the week. A grand total of 28 races, and £4.7m worth of prize money up for grabs, what’s not to love?

3. World-class horses

So many top-group races and a mammoth amount of prize money, are only going to attract world-class horses, and that’s exactly what you get at the Yorkshire Ebor Festival. Sandown Eclipse winner St Mark’s Basilica, who is the favourite for the Juddmonte International Stakes in the Ebor odds, serial Group 1 winners Palace Pier and Love and Oaks champion Snowfall are just some of the biggest and best horses to get excited about at this year’s meeting.

4. It’s one of the last big meetings of the season

Unfortunately, with the likes of the Guineas Festival, Derby Festival, Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood having already taken place, the 2021 flat season is quickly beginning to wind down. However, before attention begins turns to the season’s finale, British Champions Day, we must savour every top-class meeting we have between now and then, and with the Juddmonte International Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks acting as the final leg for their respective categories in the British Champions Series, this is one of the biggest festivals left this year!