Ethical Diamond wins the Sky Bet Ebor

The 22 shortlisted Yorkshire-based good causes in the running to win the £20,000 prize in the Sky Bet Ebor Community Sweepstake have now been announced

Horse Racing

Tue August 18, 2026 · 6h ago

Sky Bet has partnered with York Racecourse for the Sky Bet Ebor Community Sweepstake 2026 and has now officially revealed the 22 Yorkshire-based shortlisted charities, foundations and community groups set to take part.

The shortlisted charities are now in the running for this year’s exciting Community Sweepstake, where each will be assigned a stall number and paired with a horse competing in the Sky Bet Ebor. The pairings will be unveiled during a live televised draw on Thursday August 20, just two days before the highly anticipated raceday on Saturday August 22.

The organisation matched to the winning horse will be awarded a £20,000 grant to support their cause, while the charities matched with the second and third place horse will receive £5,000 and £2,000 respectively. All shortlisted organisations will receive a minimum £1,000 contribution towards a designated project or initiative, ensuring each good cause benefits from taking part.

With entries from across Yorkshire, the shortlist represents a diverse range of causes, all looking to make a difference to their respective communities.

The final 22 shortlisted good causes are:

Aphasia Support
Barnsley FC Community Trust
Brainkind
CHSF
Cultural Connections York CIC
Endo Buddies CIO
Equine Pathways UK
FareShare Yorkshire
Health Stars
Help 4 Homeless Veterans
Horticap Ltd
Hull & East Riding Breast Friends (HER Breast Friends)
Kingfisher Café
Kirklees Theatre Trust
Kyra Women’s Project
Open Country
Oscar’s
Pseudomyxoma Survivor
Smiles For Miles
Street Angels York
The Partially Sighted Society
Worthwhile Occupations and Recreational Krafts

James Brennan, Head of Marketing and Sponsorship at York Racecourse, commented on the final shortlist: “The hardest part of running the sweepstake each year is narrowing down the applications to our final shortlist, especially with so many incredible causes applying.

"It’s wonderful to see applicants from across Yorkshire represented again this year and the final 22 are a great reflection of the amazing work happening across the county. With the Sky Bet Ebor Festival Community Sweepstake just around the corner, we can’t wait to celebrate every one of these deserving bodies.”

Michael Shinners, Head of Sports PR at Sky Betting & Gaming, added: “It’s been great to see the number and quality of applicants again this year, and we’d love to include everyone. Choosing the final 22 has been challenging, but we’ve got a good mix involved this year, and we’re eager to see them all take part.

"We are now looking forward to the live draw event on Thursday 20th August, which is one my favourite days of the festival and where our good causes find out which horse they’ll be rooting for. We wish them all the best of luck for raceday on the 22nd of August!”