Jaysella’s Ebor Festival Selections for Wednesday 19th August 2026

Jaysella’s Ebor Festival Selections for Wednesday 19th August

Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 1.50
Naana’s Sparkle
Ooh yes, what a delicious opener for York’s Ebor Festival, where I can’t get away from Lemos Souza’s Naana’s Sparkle. This is gonna be fast and furious, you know, blink and you’ll miss it, so it’s got to be one that can cope with this big field, has hit a sweet spot of form and has a jockey that knows how to get the job done. Not too much to ask then!! but Naana’s Sparkle fits the bill as well as anyone. I did think he was unlucky in the Shaker Handicap at Goodwood last time, but I’ll give ‘im another chance, and settling better in the first couple of furlongs would help a bit as Kane O’Neill waits for an opening. Higher up the weights, Hugo Palmer’s Stratusnine looks a top prospect in these valuable handicaps, and did win the Sky Bet Dash on this track over 6 furlongs two runs back, getting forward early which always helps. Seeing that extra furlong out under James Doyle, leading at the one pole, there’s every chance of doubling up here on the Knavesmire. Too many others to mention here, but look out for Dark Thirty and Dubai Bling for your big gambles, but Naana’s Sparkle gets my vote!

Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3) 2.25
Haffner
Edged out by Oliver Cole’s Mr Rascal in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood three weeks back, I reckon that Haffner can score here. Looks like the Bookies think that too, as they ain’t giving you much bang for buck in this Group 2 sprint. But, for all that, we reckon this Justify colt does look the real deal from this office, so back against Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore at your peril. Though Ballydoyle do run a very useful second string in Confucius, and with this pair next to each other in Stalls 10 & 11, dare I say that team tactics could be a factor? But Haffner stands on his own merits for me, so I’ll put him down to win ahead of stablemate Confucius and Ed Walker’s Pat Eddery winner, Alfred Wallace.

Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Colts & Geldings) 3.00
Maltese Cross (nb)
Oh my days do I like the appeal of William Haggas’s Maltese Cross for this Group 2 Voltigeur. I’m telling you that his run in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp was one of the best battling Group One wins you’re ever likely to see from a three year old. Tom Marquand didn’t seem to ‘ave no route to victory at the 400 metre stick, but after trying the hard shoulder, the outside runway and finally forcing his way through in the middle lane between long-time leader Ancient Egypt and the fast finishing Alam, it’s a race replay to savour. For all that, we’ve got the Derby winner Christmas Day lining up, who proved that the Epsom downpour when he won that Classic was no gimme on the going when second to Benvenuto Cellini in the Irish version, and stablemate Pierre Bonnard just to fortify the Ballydoyle front line. Group One penalties for Christmas Day and Maltese Cross, but I can’t swerve away from what I saw in France, so it’s Maltese Cross for me, all day long! Caroline, your thoughts?

Christmas Day (nb)
I’m of the opinion that Christmas Day can win the Voltigeur, but Jaysella, I do understand your attraction for Maltese Cross. But, I have to be telling yuzz that the Grand Prix de Paris was a hard won contest for Maltese Cross, where Christmas Day has just had an extra few weeks to recover from his last run, the Irish Derby, and I do think that could factor in an edge for Aidan O’Brien’s Epsom Derby winner. But I do agree that this will be a tough race between the pair, with the Ballydoyle second string, Pierre Bonnard no also ran. Maltese Cross and Christmas Day both carry the penalty for their Group One wins, so an extra element there, but with a bit of rain about at York, surely Christmas Day swings the scales?

Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1) 3.35
Ombudsman (nap)
Big News!! Big big news!! I’m givin’ you all, right here, the winner of the Juddmonte International 2026, the Longines best World race of the year twice in the last five years. It’s gonna be Ombudsman, if it ain’t Constitution River, though Andrew Balding’s Item, Ed Walkers’ Almaqam and Francis-Henri Graffard’s Zaydann are also gonna be in the mix! There you are, the winner is in that lot somewhere – you know I don’t wanna let you down on this mega-mega race right? So, here’s the shakedown: Ombudsman won this last year in a cracker of a contest where Birr Castle flew out of the stalls, going about 20 lengths clear into the home straight with 4 furlongs to go, until Ombudsman streaked through on the line, leaving the big Irish hope, Delacroix trailing in as an also ran over 3 lengths behind. WOW!! WOW!! John & Thady Gosden have managed Ombudsman’s career faultlessly in my book; twelve races, nine wins and three seconds so far over a three year career, so can he double up in what is always in the top tranche of the world’s best world races? I think he can but, and it’s a big but, can he give 7lbs to Constitution River? We’re gonna give this one over to Caroline, but my instinct’s gotta be Ombudsman, with double course winner Item chasing them ‘ome. Caroline?

Constitution River (nap)
Oh Jaysella, please please, don’t let us fall out over this when you say Delacroix had no answer to Ombudsman in this race last year! Because, I’m telling yuzz, this is Constitution River, the Wootton Bassett colt that has passed every test put in front of him, after going down by a head to Charlie Appleby’s Distant Storm in his debut under rules in a Newmarket maiden. Oh my Lord, since that oh so close finish, Constitution River has proved himself at the very top level, winning the French Derby, the Prix du Jockey Club, the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park. Oh yes, I’m to be sure of that, but just look out for Almaqam too while Andrew Balding’s Item is an unbeaten two time course and distance winner, so a top contest all in all. But, It is the very best three year old middle distance horse in Europe to wrest the title from Ombudsman.

Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 4.10
Valedictory
I’ll chance my arm with John & Thady Gosdens’ Valedictory for this Stayers Handicap. I’m guessing this Cracksman gelding can bounce back from a bit of a disappointing run at Goodwood last time, when sent off favourite but didn’t for some reason get the run of the race. But Valedictory is unexposed at this trip, and Will Buick gets the leg-up again, so I’m hoping for ‘im to return to the sort of form that saw wins at Newmarket and Goodwood prior to that last effort. Of course Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle have turned themselves into a crack team this summer, so Small Fry got to the top of the markets this week, while Andrew Balding’s Shrimp Shady and Roger Varian’s Ride The Thunder have solid claims and would be decent each-way picks, if that’s your bag, but the biggest danger could be James Owen’s Kirchner, who has Ryan Moore booked. No one better than James Owen to get one ready for this sort of staying trip, but my gut instinct’s with Valedictory.

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 4.45
Miss Yechance
Quite a few of these met in the Buccalleti Handicap at Goodwood at the summer festival, but I’ll go for Karl Burke’s Miss Yechance to go two better to land this. It does help a whole lot to be at the lower end of the draw here on the Knavesmire, and I always reckon that the pacey types right up there do well, so with Jack Mitchell taking up the reins to claim a useful 3lbs, maybe this Cotai Glory filly is the way to go? But, of course, these big field handicaps are always pretty hot contests, so Naana’s Shadow, Schrodinger’s Cat, Manatee Mehmas and Old Is Gold all can stake a claim, though all but Schrodinger’s Cat have got the higher end of the draw, so ho hum, bang my drum, Miss Yechance and kick yourself later!!

Sky Bet Nursery Handicap 5.20
Dubai Champion
Right, here we go then, after everything I’ve said about the good draws in the Sprints at York, let’s go for one right on the unfavoured side for this 6 furlong dash!! Holy Moloney, has this girl gone mad? Well probably always been a bit on the spectrum anyway, but never mind that, I’ve got good reason to back Royal Champion for the closer. Number 1, just look back at the way this Persian Force colt finished at Goodwood last time; Number 2, Ben Haslam has got Ryan Moore back in the hot seat; Number 3, those Bookies don’t exactly give money away, so there’s a good reason Dubai Champion has pretty well headed the markets this week. Convinced yet? Well, Dancing Pirate under Oisin Murphy and the bang in-form Havana Sprite get the supposedly better side of the draw, while Sovereign Glory would be my each-way pick, but for the win, Dubai Champion gets the big tick!!