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York team excited as Ebor Festival entries released
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 30 Jun 2026
Chief executive William Derby is thrilled with the quality of the entries for York’s Group One races at the Ebor Festival in August, headed by the brilliant Ombudsman.
Having set Royal Ascot alight with his performance in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, connections have indicated their preference to see the Godolphin-owned five-year-old defend his title in the Juddmonte International.
He could be joined by the likes of Calandagan, Constitution River, Benvenuto Cellini, Gstaad, Opera Ballo and Purview.
Derby said: “To have the defending champion is always good, some organisations have him as currently the highest-rated horse in the world, so that is very exciting after what he did at Ascot.
“There are other amazing horses in there and it will be interesting to see if Constitution River heads our way after Sandown (Coral-Eclipse) this weekend for the richest race we’ve ever staged.
“The possibility of Calandagan again, after he forced City Of Troy into breaking the track record in 2024, means the Juddmonte International is shaping up to be a cracker.”
In the Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes, popular American trainer Wesley Ward will be hoping to break his duck in the race with Bacio, who looked much better than a handicapper in winning at Ascot.
Japan has an entry in dual Royal Ascot runner-up Satono Reve, with France and Australia also represented.
Derby went on: “Bacio is there for Wesley Ward who came so close with Lady Aurelia, Asfoora is returning for her defence and Satono Reve is in both the Nunthorpe and City of York after running an amazing race at Ascot, so I’m really excited about that.
“Ponntos is there from the Czech Republic, Francis-Henri Graffard has some entries too.
“We’ve had a bumper entry for the Sky Bet City of York in just it’s second year (as a Group One), so I’m really excited about that. It has quickly established itself in the minds of all connections. We had a great line-up last year but it can only improve as people get used to it as a Group One option.
“You’ve the Queen Anne winner in Ten Bob Tony, Qirat who won the Criterion here on Saturday and won the Sussex last year and an Irish Guineas winner in Gstaad, so it brings horses stepping up in trip or down and three-year-olds meeting older horses, it’s fascinating.
“It’s going to be World Pool this year on Saturday for the first time also.”
There is one particular horse Derby would love to see turn up in the Yorkshire Oaks.
“Given Estrange is trained by David O’Meara in Yorkshire, it would be great to see her have another go at the Yorkshire Oaks,” he said.
“She was second to Minnie Hauk last year and we showed her win the Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland on the big screen on Saturday, which went down very well.
“She won on quickish ground on Saturday, she’s such a beautiful filly, we’d love to see her go one better.
“It’s like the first day of December almost for us with all the story lines coming together.”
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