The
Yorkshire Ebor Festival at
York concludes on Saturday with a pair of long
distance races: the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup over two miles and the $325,000 Ebor
Heritage Handicap at 1 ¾ miles.
Dandino, owned and
bred by Elite Racing, steps up to two miles in the Lonsdale Cup after a
successful campaign over middle distances. Post time is 10:05 a.m. (3rd race at
York).
“He’s
a Group 2 winner over a mile and a half and he’s mixed it with Group 1 company
over that distance, so we thought we’d try him over a bit further,” said trainer
James Given.
Opinion Poll took the
Londsale 12 months ago and warmed up for a repeat bid with victory in the Group
2 Goodwood Cup three weeks ago.
Godolphin’s 5-year-old was second to Fame And Glory in the
Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June before the Goodwood
win.
“I was
very pleased that Opinion Poll won a big race at Goodwood and he heads to
York in the same
condition,” said trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.
The
Ebor Heritage Handicap is the richest handicap in European racing and is due off
at 10:40 a.m. (4th race
at
York ).
Sir
Michael Stoute has not won the Ebor for 15 years but saddles two leading
contenders: Modun and Blissful Moment.
Although Modun is likely to start favored, preference is for stablemate
Blissful Moment, who is near the bottom of the handicap and receives 12 pounds
from top-weight Fox
Hunt..
Trainer Brian Ellison is confident of a good run from Saptapadi in the Ebor. Unruffled by the
5-year-old’s wide draw, the North Yorkshire
trainer has been heartened by the form of his leading contender’s last run. That
also was at York
over 1 ¼ miles when he was an unlucky fifth behind Twice Over in the Group 2
York Stakes.