Melbourne Cup Nominations in Ebor Handicap

The Ebor Handicap is a race for three-year-olds and up over a distance of 2,795 metres (1 mile 5 furlongs and 197 yards) at England’s York Racecourse during the Ebor Festival meeting in August. It is a classic race first run in 1843, and is now the most valuable handicap race of its kind in Europe. It has been used as a lead-up race by many British Cups raiders and several Melbourne Cup nominations were entered in this years Ebor on Wednesday 19 August 2009.

The Melbourne Cup nominated runners were Changingoftheguard who started 15/8 favourite, Warringah, Deutschland, Ladies Best and Desert Sea. Two other Melbourne Cup nominated horses that had originally planned to run in the Ebor were Basaltico and Munsef. Cumani decided not to run Basaltico because he felt the weight of 61.5kg was too much, while Munsef was withdrawn due to lameness.

So how did they go? Well the Ebor is rarely won by favourites – in fact only 2 favourites have won since 1994, and in 2006 Mudawin won at 100/1. Warringah was the topweight and set a good pace early on but had little in the tank when the challenges came. The race was won by a tiny Irish-trained mare called Sesenta at the price of 25/1.

The best run from the Cup nominated horses was Changingoftheguard who stormed home to come second by a head. Warringah finished 5th, Deutschland 8th, Ladies Best 15th and Desert Sea 18th in the 19 horse field.

On those performances Changingoftheguard is the most likely of the group for connections to want to pay his way to Melbourne. His price is around $17 in the early Cup markets. Trainer Aidan O’Brien indicated after the race that the colt would have his next start in the St Leger at Doncaster in September, and by then it should become clearer which of the European horses will make the trip Down Under.

Jo Jackson

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