Never Enough wins the opener at Ascot on King George day

Sky Bet Ebor Festival preview: Ed Walker on his team

Horse Racing

Wed August 12, 2026 · 5h ago

Ed Walker has once again got his eye on the two-year-old races at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

The Upper Lambourn-based trainer has won the last two renewals of the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York Racecourse with Celandine and Royal Fixation respectively.

Next week on the Knavesmire, he is aiming Never Enough at the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes.

The No Nay Never colt looks primed to tackle the £250,000 Group 2 on Friday, after winning an Ascot six-furlong maiden by a length and a half last month.

Walker said: “We will hopefully have Never Enough running in the Gimcrack. He was very impressive at Ascot on his second start. A very pleasing debut finishing second at Windsor, but he really stepped forward and I think there’s plenty more to come from him. He’s a very exciting horse who I think will almost certainly go to the Gimcrack.”

Alfred Wallace swoops late under Oisin Murphy

Fellow Kingsdown Stables juvenile Alfred Wallace could line up in the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb Stakes on the opening day.

The Dubawi colt swooped late to win the seven-furlong Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot last time out.

Walker said: “We’re not sure where we’re going yet for sure with Alfred Wallace but he could run in the Acomb. It’s probably going to be a very strong race, but we’re considering that as well as other options for him.

“The Ginger Kid will run in the seven-furlong nursery (20 August’s Mews Hotel Ossett ebfstallions Nursery) – possibly with a tough game filly called Bymiddaytomorrow.”

Walker has Almaqam in the Juddmonte International Stakes (19 August) and Ten Bob Tony in the Group One Sky Bet City Of York Stakes (22 August). But the pair are far from guaranteed to line up on the Knavesmire.

Walker said: “We’ve talked about the weather and Almaqam so much. He’s undoubtedly better with just a little bit of ease in the ground. To be competitive or winning a race like that, I think he is going to have to have everything in his favour and I just can’t see the weather playing ball – but we’ll see.”

Ten Bob Tony gets a pat down the neck from Kieran Shoemark

In June Ten Bob Tony sprang a 50/1 surprise in the Queen Anne Stakes and two weeks ago ran a very creditable fourth in the Sussex Stakes.

Walker said: “Will he go back to seven furlongs on fast ground? Probably unlikely. I think we’re probably going to keep him to a mile unless conditions fall in his favour.”

The runner-up in the William Hill Brontë Cup, Miss Alpilles, is under consideration for the Group 2 Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup on Friday (21 August 21.)

Walker said: “Plans are kind of a bit fluid with her at the moment, but I think she wants top of the ground and we probably need to capitalise. She’s gone well at York in the Brontë before, so we could have a crack at the Lonsdale.”

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