Check out the top trainer's guide to his leading hopes for the Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York.
There have already been plenty of positives for trainer Richard Hannon to draw from the 2026 Flat season, but he hopes he can raise the bar even higher at this year’s Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York.
With the £2million barrier in prize money within touching distance, and the 100 winner mark fast approaching, the Classic-winning handler can be pleased with how the season has shaped up so far.
Tasting Group One glory is as good as it gets for a trainer, and in Pershaada, who will tackle her elders in the Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday, Hannon holds solid claims of securing his first top level triumph since 2024.
But it is not just the daughter of Persian Force, who scorched to Group Three glory in the Veuve Clicquot Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood last month, that has him excited about what promises to be another four days of exhilarating action on the Knavesmire.
Having won the Group Three Sky Bet Strensall Stakes 12 months ago with King Of Cities, the Wiltshire handler will bid to repeat the feat with the ultra-consistent Persica, while the exciting St Anton aims to continue his own upward curve in the Sky Bet Mile Handicap.
And although it could be a quiet start to the meeting for Hannon, with his two entries on day one, Elevating and Persian Spring far from certain to take their chances, he has enough ammunition capable of making the remainder of the meeting a notable one.
Hannon said: “We’ve got a few good chances up there this year, including Persica in the Strensall.
“It is nice to have Pershaada in the Nunthorpe, which I think will be a very interesting race.
“I would have liked a Gimcrack horse, but I didn’t really have one for the race as I’ve got a lot of nice two-year-olds that want seven furlongs or a mile.
“We have eighty seven domestic winners for the year, which is great as we are still only in August, and it would be nice to think we could add to that tally at York.”
