Ed Chamberlin previews the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York
ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin with five things to look out for at a mouthwatering Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York.
I’m really looking forward to the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York. It’s an opportunity to let racing do the talking. The action is of the highest quality, as it could genuinely be the best four days of the Flat season if all the scheduled stars turn up.
I can't wait and here are just five reasons why:
1. KEEP YOUR WORD
What a start to the week on Wednesday and I'll be keeping an anxious eye on Kew Gardens in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur. I backed him for the William Hill St Leger after he ran away with the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. Aidan O'Brien said afterwards that Doncaster was the plan and Jason Weaver and myself took some of the 10/1. Mind you, Jason is in love with this colt and backed him for the Investec Derby and has probably added the Champions League and Strictly Come Dancing for good measure too.
Hopefully he'll bolt up but it looks a strong renewal – although the race of the day is the Juddmonte International.
I have to stay loyal to Poet's Word after his wins at Royal Ascot and in the King George but he faces some test. Lining up against him are the winners of the Dante, Coral-Eclipse, QIPCO 2000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes, Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, Dubai World Cup and Dubai Turf.
It's a race to savour but I’m hoping Sir Michael Stoute can win it for a remarkable seventh time. He first tasted success with Shardari back in 1986 and of course took last year's renewal with Ulysses.
2. LAURENS READY FOR ACID TEST
I’ve been talking up the Darley Yorkshire Oaks for weeks now as one of the races of the season and it looks like it won’t disappoint. With a cast including the likes of Sea Of Class, Forever Together, Magic Wand, Coronet and Laurens - how can it?
We've done a special feature ahead of it with John Dance and his family. They own Laurens and it's a fascinating insight into the human story behind a horse that has really captured the public’s imagination.
If she wins I can guarantee the tears of joy won’t be limited to her owners. Francesca Cumani will be in floods as will ITV make-up artist Lauren. It’s a wonderful story and will be great to see John’s pride and joy taking on the might of Ballydoyle, Haggas, Gosden et al. She won’t go down without a fight either, she’s so tough.
3. WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
The Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers Million bonus has caused much conjecture on the ITV team after Matt Chapman told Richard Hoiles – in no uncertain terms at the Dante Meeting – that no horse could possibly win it.
Stradivarius is 1/2 to do just that in Friday's Lonsdale Cup. Thankfully, Matt is a great sport and we’ll have a lot of fun at his expense if he does – and he should. It isn't the strongest staying division and with no Torcedor in there it’s hard to think of a horse that can stop the rampant four-year-old.
I've taken a bit of stick across the various social media platforms for labelling this day Fab Friday. I knew it wouldn't meet with universal appeal but it was a bit of fun and an attempt to promote it. I used to work on a show called Super Sunday and that doesn't seem to have done too badly. Anyway, moving on...
4. GOLDEN MOMENT IN NUNTHORPE
Battaash is box office and I hope the Batmobile is in full working order in this year’s Coolmore Nunthorpe. The engine boiled over last season and it would be brilliant for the sport if he was able to blitz his rivals this time around. Racing needs horses like this to capture the public’s imagination and to have a sprinting superstar in the ilk of Dayjur, Lochsong and Oasis Dream would do the sport a power of good.
I love the fact he wears gold shoes – although Charlie Hills told me at Newbury on Saturday that they’re actually copper. At home they call him Bolt-aash – in tribute to another speed freak who had similar footwear.
It will be interesting to see what they do to try and keep the lid on him on the way to the parade ring and to the start this time. Last year’s Nunthorpe was arguably the most dramatic race of 2017 and we’ll be re-living it in the build-up. We had Battaash losing his chance before the start, Luke Harvey's interview with a worried Jim Crowley as he circled at the stalls, then Frankie Dettori thinking he’d won it on Lady Aurelia – Richard Hoiles was’t sure though.
Marsha ended up as the heroine of the day and it was wonderful to see the celebrations from her hordes of owners who were members of the Elite Racing Club. It showed that for £200 a year you can sometimes have your moment on the sport's biggest stage.
5. WILLIE OR WON’T HE?
The build-up to the £500,000 Sky Bet Ebor has been dominated by Stratum – and the question of will he make the final line-up? After Charlie Appleby ruled out both Hamada and Walton Street on Saturday I think there’s every chance Willie Mullins' market leader be in there fighting on Saturday.
Mind you with such a huge purse on offer it’s no wonder so many trainers and owners want a crack at it. Of the current entries the one I want on my side is Count Octave. He’s also in the Lonsdale Cup though but if he heads here I think he’ll go very well with the Andrew Balding team in such blistering form.
(6) BABE FAHEY
Away from the track there’s no doubt the after-racing rounders match between ITV and a bedraggled select XI from Sporting Life, Sky Bet and York Racecourse is eagerly-anticipated.
We’re proud of our star-studded line-up and the fact that Richard Fahey is being talked of as our opponent’s 'Babe Ruth' only adds to the confidence. Michael Shinners is much more aware of Babe Station than the legendary baseball figure and despite a strict diet and vigorous training from his fiancee and daughter, plus undeclared wind surgery, it seems David Ord is thought to be in badly need of the outing.
That leaves William Derby as our main threat although word reaches me he may have unearthed a gem from his York backroom team too…
It promises to be a fun week on and off the track.
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