York Ebor Meeting
Spread bettors have no need to wear a top hat during 'The Ascot of the North', but they will be treated to some equally exciting racing action. The Ebor Festival runs from Tuesday to Friday and each day has a highlight for spread punters to get stuck into. Things kick off with the Juddmonte International on the Tuesday and although there is no Sea The Stars this year, it still promises to be a top quality renewal. Three-year-olds have won two of the last three runnings which will give hope to the spread followers of recently supplemented Dick Turpin, but the trip would have to be a doubt. Sellers of SP's on the spreads will take encouragement from the last three favourites all winning, but this year's race certainly looks more competitive.
The highlight of the meeting - the Ebor - is one of the most eagerly awaited handicaps of the entire season and trainers will have been plotting for many months. Spread punters who supported last year's favourite Changingoftheguard were left disappointed as Johnny Murtagh agonisingly failed to reel in 25/1 shot Sesenta. As is always the case with spread betting, though, when there is a loser there is also a winner and punters who bought SP's were jumping for joy. The Ebor has been a good race for SP spread buyers in recent years - there has been only one winning favourite since 1999 and only three of the past ten have returned single figure prices. There has in fact been a 100/1 winner and two 25/1 winners in the past four years, much to the chagrin of spread sellers.
The winning distance market is also an interesting one for horse racing spread betting fans to consider in this race. It is run over 14 furlongs which might make some punters believe that wide winning margins are common. Far from it, All The Good won by 3 1/2 lengths in 2008, but that was at Newbury following heavy rainfall and the subsequent abandonment of York. Other than that result, the last nine Ebor's to be run on the Knavesmire have all been won by between a short-head and a length which will please the winning distance sellers on the spreads.
Thursday's highlight is the Yorkshire Oaks and it promises to be one of the races of the week. A clash of the generations is assured and spread bettors will be licking their lips in anticipation of Oaks winner Snow Fairy taking on last year's Oaks one-two Sariska and Midday, as well as the winner of this race 12 months ago, Dar Re Mi. It truly is a race to savour, but spread punters will be interested to learn that three-year-olds have won eight of the last 12 runnings, which might make Snow Fairy a popular selection on the Sporting Index win index.
The meeting climaxes with the Nunthorpe Stakes, the perfect race for spread bettors who have a thrill for speed. Starspangledbanner will be dropping back in trip following his wins in the Golden Jubilee and July Cup, but Aidan O'Brien has already said he's the fastest horse he has ever trained. Kingsgate Native will be trying to win his second Nunthorpe and spread punters will remember he won the race as a juvenile in 2007. His trainer then was John Best and he looks set to rely on another two-year-old, Stone Of Folca.
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