Race type - Flat
York
Course details
Few would argue that York is the north's premier flat racing venue and the standard of racing is always high.
GUIDE - For Racecourse
Left-handed, U-shaped course of just under 2m, with spur for straight 5f and 6f races.
Few would argue that York is the north's premier flat racing venue and the standard of racing is always high. The track is located on a strip of ground known as the 'Knavesmire' which, as the name suggests, was originally a mire and a good deal of levelling and draining was required to make it fit for racing. The first recorded meeting took place in 1731 and early racegoers flocked here not only to watch the horses competing but also for the public hangings that took place prior to racing. These were stopped in 1839 with attendances suffering as a result and it took the appointment of James Melrose as chairman of the racecourse committee in 1875 to really turn the course's fortunes around. His tradition for excellence is still in evidence today and his 50 year tenure marked by the running of the Melrose Stakes. In 2005, the course underwent some remedial work to allow it to accommodate the longer races of the transferred Royal Ascot meeting, and this new circuit is still in use today.
Track / Draw Bias
On the round course, those runners that are drawn on the inside (low) are able to hug the rail and steal valuable lengths turning onto the home straight. This bias decreases with an increase of distance although it's still there in races like the Ebor, which is run over 1m4f, and a very high draw is considered detrimental to a horse's chances. On the straight course, it pays to be drawn in the middle of the track as this is often where the fastest strip of ground is. In maximum fields of 20 runners, the place to be is stall 6-12, while in smaller fields the lower drawn horses are favoured, much depends on the positioning of the stalls. A low draw is advantageous over 7f as the runners start from a chute and bear slightly left as they join the home straight.
Principal Race
The Ebor Meeting, held here in August, features several big races including Europe's richest handicap, the Ebor Handicap over 1m4f. The Juddmonte Stakes over 1m2f attracts top class stayers and it's not unusual for that year's Derby winner to be in the field - Sea The Stars was the last one to do the double in 2009. The Nunthorpe Stakes, which takes place over 5f, and the Yorkshire Oaks, for fillies over 1m4f are the two other Group 1 races run at the same meeting. The Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes attracts the best three-year-old stayers and is a good trial for the St Leger. The course also stages an important meeting in May with the Dante Stakes and Musidora Stakes being key trials for the Derby and Oaks respectively.
Course Characteristics
Following the work of 2005, the course is now an elongated oval measuring 1m7f in circumference. It's relatively flat with easy sweeping bends and that makes it one of the fairest courses in Britain with just about every type of horse able to win, although the longer-striding galloping types are best suited as they can really stretch out on the long 5f home straight. You'd expect this to suit the hold-up horses as they have plenty of time to deliver their challenge, but results suggest otherwise with a good proportion of front-runners and horses that like to be up with the pace being successful. Indeed, hold-up performers who win here have to put up a good performance and they are usually worth following. A chute of 1f joins on to the home straight and this allows for races of up to 6f to take place on a straight course, although the chute itself is quite narrow and only a maximum number of 20 horses can be accommodated. Prominent racers are favoured when the ground is riding fast.
Top Trainers
The northern-based Richard Fahey has trained the most winners here in the past five seasons, although he tends to adopt a scattergun approach and his 11% strike rate means he's not a trainer to follow blind. Similar comments apply to Tim Easterby and Mark Johnston, and better strike rates are achieved by the Newmarket stables of Sir Michael Stoute and Saeed Bin Suroor, who has been scoring with around 20% of his runners. John Dunlop doesn't have the ammunition he once had but he's still to be respected as he's currently operating at around 33%.
Top Jockeys
Fahey's success is mirrored by that of his stable jockey Paul Hanagan and while he is now retained by Sheikh Hamdan, he should continue to pay his way. As should Ryan Moore who rides the track as well as anyone with 23% of rides being led into the winner's enclosure. Frankie Dettori is a superb judge of pace from the front and that makes him super effective around here with the majority of his winners coming for Godolphin. He will face strong competition for rides this season from Silvestre De Sousa and Mickael Barzalona, who could pay to follow.