Cecil and Bapak Chinta are clear favourites for festival success

Champion jockey and Yorkshire Post racing columnist Paul Hanagan looks ahead with relish to the start of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival on Knavesmire this Wednesday.

THERE are just two days to go before the stalls fly open on Knavesmire and the 2011 Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival gets under way.

Everyone at Richard Fahey’s yard is buzzing with excitement ahead of what is one of the big occasions of the whole racing calendar.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The festival is one that we target every year, and 2011 is no exception.

At this stage, I’m not anticipating having a ride in the richest race ever run at York Racecourse – the £700,000 Group One Juddmonte International, the showpiece event on Wednesday afternoon, and part of the inaugural QIPCO British Champions Series.

The horse that I would like to see winning the contest is trainer Sir Henry Cecil’s Midday.

The mare has winning form at Knavesmire, having come first in the Group Two totepool Middleton Stakes at the Dante Festival in May.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She followed that up with victory in the Nassau Stakes at last month’s Glorious Goodwood.

I like the mare’s attitude and admire the way she goes about her races. She won the Group One Darley Yorkshire Oaks at the Ebor Festival 12 months ago, and I hope she wins the Juddmonte for her owner and race sponsor Khalid Abdulla this time around.

At the time of writing, the boss has a number of entries in each of the Symphony Group Stakes, the sportingbet.com Stakes, and the Patrington Haven Leisure Park Stakes but running plans are not certain.

On to Thursday, and the first race is one close to my heart.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That’s because one year ago Wootton Bassett won the DBS Premier Yearling Stakes. That was the then two-year-old’s third victory in an unbeaten run of five that climaxed in a Group One win in France.

This year has been a frustrating one for the horse, and I feel sorry for Richard because it’s been stop-start with Wootton Bassett’s preparations for his races this season. Let’s hope he can get a clear run with the horse.

I think he may now be suited by six furlongs, and the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock Park early next month could be on the agenda.

The boss has no fewer than eight horses entered in the £250,000 DBS Premier Yearling Stakes this time around as we aim to make it back-to-back wins.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I don’t know yet which horses will run and which one I will ride, but I’d have no doubts about the ability of Holy Roman Warrior – were he to take part – to run a big race.

After two runs at Ayr Racecourse, he won his maiden at York last month for me. He liked the track and he would certainly have a chance in the six-furlong race if he were declared tomorrow.

At the moment, I still think my best chance of a winner during the Festival is on Friday with Bapak Chinta in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes, another race in the QIPCO British Champions Series.

As I wrote ten days ago, I like the horse’s temperament, he has given me a great feel when I have ridden him in work and he’s beautifully laid back. He is in the £240,000 five-furlong race with a light weight, and is probably justifiably the ante-post favourite now. I’d certainly love to win the race for Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I shall look forward very much to seeing everyone at the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival. It will be a great occasion. As I said in Friday’s Yorkshire Post, there is plenty for visitors to see and do in addition to the races.

Jeff Banks will be on course with Debenhams for the first UK running of Fashion on the Field. There will be prizes of a trip to Dubai from Marriott Hotels on Ladies’ Day on Thursday and a holiday in St Vincent on Saturday. There’s also an aerial display by the Royal Air Force Falcons parachute display team on Thursday.

The next racing at York Racecourse is the four-day Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival – from Wednesday 17 to Saturday 20 August. Daily admission prices range from £8 to £52. Great value three-day and four-day badges start from £17 and £22 for the Course Enclosure up to £135 and £175 in the County Stand. The feature races each day are the Juddmonte International (Wednesday), the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Thursday - Ladies’ Day), the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (Friday) and the Betfred Ebor (Saturday). Further details can be found on www.yorkracecourse.co.uk or by calling 01904 620911.