North Yorkshire takes centre stage this week as the 2025 Ebor Festival gets underway at York racecourse.
Four days of prestigious racing set against the backdrop of The Knavesmire, welcomed by friendly northern hospitality, kick off on Wednesday, August 21.
Twenty-eight races will run over the course of the week, with four Group One races highlighting the card on their respective days.
Day two’s feature race is the (Group One) Yorkshire Oaks, which will see fillies and mares run over a distance of a mile and four furlongs.
A share of £600,000 in prize money and a place in the ‘history books’ awaits, with leading-Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien looking to equal the most-number of wins by a trainer in the race.
The Irishman has trained eight winners, including four of the last five and one more would see him draw level with Sir Michael Stoute and Mathew Dawson – a racing trainer in the 1800’s.
Minnie Hauk
This year’s renewal will see his Oaks hatrick-scorer Minnie Hauk look to make it a four-timer in Oaks wins this season.
Her Cheshire Oaks win on her seasonal reappearance was added to with wins in both the Epsom Oaks and Irish Oaks, giving her a strong hand here.
After that latest victory, O’Brien was asked where the filly would go next, he said: “I’d imagine we’d have a fair idea in the next week.
“If she was going down the Arc trial route, she’d have to have a couple of easy weeks and obviously if she was going to York then she wouldn’t have those couple easy weeks.
“Looking at her, she probably would love York.”
Her chance is reflected in the market, as she currently trades at 4/11 to get the job done on Thursday.
Garden of Eden
Garden Of Eden is the other O’Brien runner in the race, but she is currently priced at 10/1.
She won her maiden Group race in a Group Two at Royal Ascot on her penultimate start, but has since been well-beaten in a German Group One on her first step up to that level.
Estrange
One of the likelier challengers to the O’Brien favourite is the David O’Meara-trained Estrange – trading at 7/2.
This Chievley Park Stud-owned filly will arrive in York off the back of winning both her starts this season – both at Haydock, first in a Group Three, then in the (Group Two) Lancashire Oaks.
Those victories added to her win in a Listed contest at Doncaster, on her final start of last season.
On his star filly, O’Meara said: “She’s come out of the Lancashire Oaks great.
“She hardly had a race really, it was a two-and-a-half-furlong dash that day really which turned into a sprint.
“York (is the next port of call) and if she carries on going well then the Arc de Triomphe is the ultimate goal.”
Qilin Queen
The other horse in the race is Qilin Queen, who at 14/1 is the outsider of the four-runner field.
Trainer Ed Walker’s filly had been in good form prior to the Epsom Oaks – where she finished eighth of nine – winning and placing twice in three Listed races.
In fact, that Epsom run may have been an anomaly as in her latest run, she stepped up to Group Two company (in France) and won.
After that French victory, Walker said: “We were so disappointed at Epsom, we went there with such high hopes.
“We walked the track in the morning with Simon [Sadler, owner], Charlie Budget and Ed Sackville and we were a bit concerned about the ground.
“But it’s hard on a big day to change your plan and, while we never felt she wanted soft ground, we didn’t know she wouldn’t.
“As it turned out she really didn’t, so we came here, knowing the ground would be nice and quick with this weather.
“She’s in the Yorkshire Oaks and she’s a Group 2 winner now, so we have to aim at Group One’s.”
The race gets underway at 3:35pm on Thursday, August 21 and will be shown live on ITV as well as Racing TV – for their subscribers only.
By Callum Close
READ MORE: Ebor Festival 2025 – Dates, how to watch on TV, trainers and jockeys to watch
