Tarriance (left) wins the Melrose

Sky Bet Ebor Handicap ante-post tips

Horse Racing

Tue August 04, 2026 · 6h ago

Nic Doggett takes a long-range look at Sky Bet Ebor Handicap at York later this month and picks out three against the field.

Always a race of quality, the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap seems to have been targeted by a different type of dual-purpose horse since Trawlerman won it off 9st 3lb in 2022, with the winners since being Absurde (in 2023, who went on to win the County Hurdle in-between a series of fine Melbourne Cup efforts), Magical Zoe (in 2024, already a proven Grade 3 winner over hurdles, who was fourth in the County Hurdle) and Ethical Diamond (in 2025, another County Hurdle fourth who went on to win the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf on his next start). It feels a different race to the one that Mudawin shocked at 100/1 in 2006.

Rather pleasingly at this stage, the ante-post market is dominated by....nothing. At 10/1 the field, there is real optimism that this year's race – which is worth £300,000 and automatic entry to the Melbourne Cup to the winner – is still up for grabs. This is no forlorn market, where you feel like you've missed the boat on a plot job. This is enticing.

So, what makes a good Ebor candidate?

Getting into the race is a good start, though that oddly wasn't an issue when the race failed to be fully subscribed in 2024. Last year's bottom weight was the 95-rated Mr Percy, a sizable 9 lb higher than Forza Orta 12 months earlier, but both the 2021 and 2022 renewals featured bottom weights of 100+.

The 2018 renewal saw Muntahaa produce a fine performance to win from 9st 9lb and an official rating of 109, with the 112-rated Weekend – who was second - setting a high bar at the top of the weights.

The 108-rated Fujaira Prince produced a very similar performance in 2020 when getting 4 lb from top-weight Deja, and was echoed by Sonnyboyliston a year later.

Sonnyboyliston won the Sky Bet Ebor in 2021

As a result, you couldn't confidently predict that current top-weight, the 114-rated Sons And Lovers wouldn't run, but his best form has come when dominating smaller fields so his wily connections – who won this with Absurde and have other leading options – may look to easier assignments on the continent.

A more likely top-weight would be Tabletalk, a strong sort who has a fine record at the track and looks capable of a Weekend-esque performance from the same mark of 112.

It's probably worth noting that last year's big ante-post market springer from the Willie Mullins yard - Hipop de Loire – was displaced as favourite by his stable companion Ethical Diamond near the off, but the market signals have been positive for Columbus following his Galway hurdling win.

He makes his handicap debut here off 107 but was a long way behind stablemate MR HOLLYWOOD in the Ascot Stakes in June. The last-named is 2 lb lower for his own first foray into handicaps, and – having only been beaten three lengths by Illinois, before also winning over hurdles at Galway – he makes much more appeal at 25/1.

A recruit from Germany, it felt like a confident Brian Hayes spent much of the race last week trying to encourage the six-year-old to go a bit slower. He's got plenty of pace, as well as stamina, and looks the value.

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With this longer trip likely to suit stablemate Gaucher, who rates better than he could show in the Wolferton, Mullins clearly has a strong hand on the race once more, but I feel previous winner Absurde is being a little overlooked at present.

Just 3 lb higher than when successful here in 2023, his campaign may once again be geared around a trip Down Under for the Melbourne Cup; he was seventh in the race in 2023, fifth in 2024, and eighth last year.

However, connections clearly love this challenge, the horse has a strong record when fresh, and he doesn't look out of things from a handicapping point of view. But, realistically, becoming the oldest winner since nine-year-old Sea Pigeon in 1979, looks too tough an ask.

While Mullins has become a master of the dual-purpose stayer, the up-and-coming apprentice Joseph O'Brien doesn't appear to be far behind, and 25/1 chance EMIT – who could well have high-quality hurdling races and a Melbourne Cup campaign on the agenda somewhere down the line - is my pick of his contingent amongst the entries.

Third to Scandinavia in the listed Vintage Crop Stakes back in April, the four-year-old was drawn wide when fourth to Opportunity in the Duke Of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot, eventually having to settle for a back-of-mid-field position.

He picked up well off the home turn but couldn't reel in Opportunity and Warrant Holder. The winner franked that form in the Glorious Stakes at Goodwood last week, while the sixth Hopewell Rock landed a competitive handicap there on Friday and rates a big player here.

My only slight concern would be that I think he'd prefer slightly slower ground, but the return to this trip should help negate that to a degree.

Hopewell Rock gets the better of Small Fry at Goodwood

His stablemate Kizlyar is clearly a big danger, with his Royal Ascot defeat of Defiantly handsomely franked since. He has alternative Group-race entries, though does look a perfect type for this race (and Australia), so is fairly readily preferred to the likes of Beylerbeyi, Klassleader and Daiquiri Bay – who has progressed well when fending off Gamrai twice this year - at the top of the betting.

Of those who were involved in the finish last year, Ascending would have been of interest but for two abject runs so far this season with little excuse, while Stressfree has failed to feature behind Daiquiri Bay and Hopewell Rock on his last two starts and has plenty to prove at present; the only bonus is that he is now 2 lb lower than when fourth last season.

Of the four-year-olds who have disappointed of late, I think Valiancy could be one who bears sticking with. He was asked to make up a lot of ground very early on in last week's two-and-a-half-mile handicap at Goodwood (where the cheekpieces were back on), but clearly didn't stay that extended trip. I don't think he's done with just yet, but he may now be given a bit of a break before being dropped in trip on slower ground.

TARRIANCE doesn't need to be forgiven a poor last run, though, and the Andrew Balding-trained four-year-old completes my three selections. He travelled noticeably well when settling for fourth in the handicap won by Hopewell Rock last week, with jockey Colin Keane not giving him a hard time once the bird(s) had flown.

Though probably out of his depth in three Group races since landing the Melrose Handicap over this C&D a year ago, that was a much more positive effort and this mark of 105 – for all it's 12 lb above that win - doesn't look far-fetched with another year under his belt.

Last week's race was his first in 78 days, so he could tighten up for it, and a big run looks on the cards in a contest that is a surprising omission from his trainer's rollcall.

Ante-post Sky Bet Ebor Handicap selections

Mr Hollywood at 25/1 (General)

Emit at 25/1 (General)

Tarriance at 20/1 (General)

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