Alex Hammond Tips: Sky Bet Ebor Preview

Who do you fancy to come out on top in the big clash in the Juddmonte International?

So, with the weight-for-age allowance that the three-year-olds get from their older rivals, there isn’t much between them on ratings and I’d love to see a real battle between the two. However, Ombudsman is the proven top class act, and Constitution River still must prove himself at the very highest level. He is bidding to emulate the likes of Giant’s Causeway, Authorized, Sea The Stars, Japan, City Of Troy et al as three-year-olds who beat their elders in this contest, none of whom were faced with a horse as talented as Godolphin's established star five-year-old. Even Calandagan and Bluestocking (both rated 117 at time of the 2024 renewal) were works in progress at the time of their defeats to City Of Troy.

With Ombudsman Sky Bet’s even-money favourite and Constitution River 7/4 next best, I’d rather have my cash on last year’s winner. There’s an undercurrent of rivalry between team Gosden and the Aidan O’Brien camp and the former may have the bragging rights for a while after this humdinger regardless of what the latter can muster in tactics for their emerging star.

I’m not sure what scenario needs to unfold to ruffle Ombudsman, and I’m sure they have thought of everything. Whatever the outcome we are in for a real treat on the Knavesmire. Bring it on!

Can Kalpana back up her King George win in the Yorkshire Oaks?

I hope so, I love this mare. This contest has in the past sometimes been a little one-sided with some short-priced favourites winning as expected. However, the presence of Minnie Hauk means this should be another corker. Kalpana was elevated to a rating of 125 after her win in the King George which puts her in an elite bracket of performers and Minnie Hauk at 121 means we have the two highest rated females in training in the race.

The rain that has finally landed in Yorkshire means the meeting is likely to start on ground described as good, and with further showers forecast it will aid both contenders. The thought of rainfall when you live in the parched South is enviable at this moment I can tell you. Kalpana has improved with each run this season and whilst Minnie Hauk has shown signs of her three-year-old brilliance, she hasn’t recaptured it yet, and she’ll need to for her to beat this superstar.

The racecourse executive must be delighted. This will be no walkover.

You were at Royal Ascot – how impressed were you with Bacio and can he deliver in the Nunthorpe?

The Wesley Ward-trained Bacio is Sky Bet’s 3/1 favourite and given that last year’s winner Asfoora is next in at 9/2, that seems a fair price. As much as we love Asfoora it’s undeniable that she isn’t the force of old and retirement was temporarily shelved for the eight-year-old mare after a slight revival at Goodwood last time out.

Bacio was lightning fast when winning the Palace of Holyroodhouse at Royal Ascot and whilst that was a handicap and this is a Group 1; he covered the same course and distance at the Royal meeting in a faster time than the King Charles III Stakes winner, Mission Central. He’s so quick it must feel like you are sitting on a rocket and it could be that the rest don’t see him for dust. Mind you, there won’t be much dust at York so there’s a little niggle that the easier surface may blunt that lightning speed.

LISTEN: Click here for the Ebor Festival Preview Podcast

So, if I were to play devil’s advocate (no, not the one that will be holding Ombudsman’s hand on Wednesday), I’d be cautious until I see what the conditions are like on race day because we simply don’t know how he’ll handle that. Having said that, the demon of two Nunthorpe second prizes may well be put to bed for his trainer on Friday.

Of his rivals, Rayevka is the one I’m most interested in. Francis-Henri Graffard is one of the new superpowers in racing and this filly is learning her craft as a sprinter. She was just a head behind three-year-old Mission Central in the King Charles III Stakes and she’s looks to be a Group 1-winning sprinter in waiting.

Richard Hannon senior won the Nunthorpe with two-year-old Lyric Fantasy back in 1992 and Hannon junior runs Pershaada in a bid to emulate that result thirty four years on. It’s a huge task, but not impossible.

Final question is the easiest… what’s the bet in the Sky Bet Ebor?

If I can answer this correctly, I’ll go out on a high! At the time of writing declarations haven’t been made and the draw and final field isn’t settled. So, taking that into account Tarriance is a worthy 7/1 favourite with the sponsors. This type of race suits him well and he won the Melrose over this course and distance last year for trainer Andrew Balding.

Daiquiri Bay is another horse who will get his ideal set-up. Whilst he was behind Tarriance in the York race last year his most recent win in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot looks good. The rain that has fallen is right up his street, so Wiltshire-based trainer Alan King must be thrilled to see the forecast further up country.

Co-second favourite Kizlyar needs one horse to come out to make the final field for trainer Joseph O’Brien, and his owners also have claims with the Willie Mullins-trained Love Me Tender, but he needs a few more to come out to get in this £500,000 handicap. The owners have been lucky enough to win two of the last three runnings of this race.

You can’t rule out last year’s runner-up Ascending either. His conqueror that day, Ethical Diamond, went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf and this horse is rated 98, as he was twelve months ago. I’d say all roads have led back to the Roman city for another crack at this race by trainer Henry De Bromhead. He’s 33/1.

At the same price, 33/1 with Sky Bet, you can make a case for another of the Andrew Balding-trained runners, Furthur. He hasn’t had many chances to ply his trade in handicaps with his only other go coming in the Melbourne Cup. He’s dropped 6lbs since the start of the season and whilst he needs to recapture his sparkle, it’s not beyond the realms.

Another big-priced runner, if he is declared and gets a run, is the Richard Hughes-trained Duraji. Currently 66/1, he ran well at Newbury last time out and the stronger run race on Saturday will suit him better. He needs to improve but this is just his fourth start for the stable and they may just be getting the hang of him now as he can be keen (he’s a full brother to Ghaiyyath, so we expect nothing less). It may be that he goes to Chester for a Listed race on the same day, in which case I’ll be on him there as the turns may temper his enthusiasm.

To answer the question, my best bet is Ascending each-way at 33/1. It’s such a difficult race but I’d hope he gives us a run for our money. Providing Duraji is in the final field, I’ll have a pound each-way on him too. However it pans out, I wish you the best of luck and hope you come away with some nice winners on the Knavesmire. Over and out for now.

LISTEN: Click here for the Ebor Festival Preview Podcast

Published at 13:15 BST on 18/08/26

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