Sky Bet Launch ‘Race To The Ebor’

[Wandering Eyes]

Next weekend’s Sky Bet Ebor H. at York is worth £500,000 but that pot will double to £1-million next year and to help create more of a narrative to the build up of next season’s contest the sponsors Sky Bet and York Racecourse have launched a ‘Race To The Ebor’ series. It involves a trio of races run at York, beginning next week, that will see the winner of each race guaranteed a starting berth in the 2019 Ebor. The Sky Bet Melrose H. often dubbed the ‘3-year-olds’ Ebor’ and run next Saturday on Ebor day will be the first race in the series with the other two, the Sky Bet Jorvik H. and the Listed Sky Bet Grand Cup, both taking place next season. Michael Shinners, Racing PR Manager at Sky Bet, commented, “Sky Bet is delighted work with York to launch ‘The Race To The Ebor’ today. With the first £1-million Sky Bet Ebor set to take place in 2019, the ‘Race To The Ebor’ will provide three great opportunities to gain an automatic place in Britain’s richest handicap. The three races in the ‘Race To The Ebor’ are all slightly different and we hope will build the excitement to August, 2019.

William Derby, chief executive and clerk of the course at York, added, “We are delighted to have extended our successful partnership with Sky Bet, the ‘Race to The Ebor’ demonstrates our shared commitment to develop the race programme at York and to showcase what will be the first £1-million handicap race on the Flat in Europe.”

With Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) chasing a £1-million bonus in the G2 Lonsdale Cup next week coupled with this latest announcement, the upgraded programme for stayers and the exciting opportunities such developments offer will surely encourage owners and investors to take a more long term view with their bloodstock and racing decisions. Last year’s Ebor was won by the Iain Jardine trained Nakeeta (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) who then finished a good fifth in the G1 Melbourne Cup on his next start. The 7-year-old is on target to defend his Ebor crown following an encouraging recent fifth to current Ebor favourite Stratum (GB) (Dansili {GB}) at Newbury.

 

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