We've taken a look through the betting for the 2021 Ebor Handicap
This historic handicap headlines the final day of the Ebor Festival on Saturday 21st August
22 classy horses feature in the final field
Ilaraab and Sonnyboyliston were our ante-post suggestions, and we're sticking with them
Expired
Tom Marquand riding Ilaraab (L, yellow) win The Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap at York. (Getty)
The final day of action at the Ebor Festival is headlined by the namesake race of the meeting, the Ebor Handicap. First run on the Knavesmire back in 1843, the Ebor has steadily grown into one of Europe's most lucrative handicap races and a top-class field of 22 runners has been entered in this year's renewal.
Three weeks ago, we cast our eye through the ante-post betting at the 2021 Ebor Festival and picked out two horses to back in the Ebor. Now that both have made the final cut and landed themselves kind wide draws, we're sticking with our ante-post selections.
Table Of Contents
2021 Ebor Handicap Betting
2021 Ebor Handicap Trends Anaylsis
2021 Ebor Handicap Ante-Post Tip 1
2021 Ebor Handicap Ante-Post Tip 2
2021 Ebor Handicap Betting
Name
Odds
Live Your Dream
7/1
Hamish
8/1
Sonnyboyliston
8/1
Ilaraab
11/1
Tribal Craft
11/1
Mirann
12/1
Mt Leinster
14/1
Bar
16/1
*Odds taken on 31/7/21*
2021 Ebor Handicap Trends Anaylsis
Since the great Sea Pigeon won the Ebor as a nine-year-old in 1979, only one horse over the age of six has won this historic handicap. Last year's winner, Fujaira Prince will attempt to retain his crown at the age of seven, while Galway Hurdle winner Saldier also has this age trend to overcome.
12 of the last 15 winners carried 9-00 or more, and the last three winners were rated either 108 or 109. All 12 of those winners were rated within ten pounds of the highest-rated horse in the field. So, with Euchen Glen likely to carry top-weight with his mark of 112, it's hard to make a case for anyone rated below 102 being good enough to get involved.
Coming into the Ebor nice and fresh has proven a massive advantage in the last decade or so. Ten of the last eleven winners hadn't run in the last 30 days, and 12 of the last 15 winners had run no more than 4 times that year.
Cautious punters may prefer to wait until the draw has been made to place their bets, as this has been pivotal in recent years. 11 of the last 15 winners were drawn in stall 14 or wider, and over 60% of the top four placers in that time came out of a double-figure stall.
One of the stand-out performances during the early weeks of the season was ILARAAB'S (Tipped ante-post at 14/1)tremendous victory in the Jorvik Stakes, staged over 12 furlongs here at York. William Haggas' star had won his last four starts in 2020 and looked to have improved again on his first four-year-old start, thrashing a quality field by three lengths with 9-9 on his back.
William Haggas then pitched his budding star into one of the best renewals of the Hardwicke Stakes that's ever been staged. Ilaraab finished eighth of ten on the day. However, Tom Marquand asked him to make up a hell of a lot of ground turning in, and Ilaraab still crossed the line alongside Japan and Sir Ron Priestley, rated 116 and 117 respectively.
Ilaraab is two from two at York and remains unbeaten in handicap company. Haggas' colt is stepping into the unknown with regards to the trip, and his breeding doesn't offer encouragement. Yet, everything Ilaraab has done on the track suggests he's up to this sort of challenge and I'd be amazed if he went off at a longer price than 14/1.
Sonnyboyliston (second left) finishing third in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester. (Getty)
After Create Belief handed him a first Royal Ascot win as a trainer, and Ottoman Empire's triumph at Glorious Goodwood, Johnny Murtagh has got a taste for training winners at big British events this season, and he could travel over to York with a lively contender in SONNYBOYLISTON (Tipped ante-post at 20/1).
Murtagh's charge ran up to an RPR of 110 when winning a big three-year-old handicap during Irish Champions Weekend last season. Sonnyboyliston opened his 2021 campaign with a staying-on third behind Broome at Naas, before a good third behind Japan and Trueshan on his first venture to Britain in the Ormonde Stakes.
Sonnyboyliston then reversed the form with Sunchart, who had finished ahead of him at Naas, when claiming an impressive win in the Listed Molony Stakes. Murtagh then gave his charge a taste of the Ebor course-and-distance in the John Smith's Silver Cup, and although Sonnyboyliston was only sixth behind Hukum, Ronan Whelan's mount was only beaten four-and-a-half lengths.
Despite those strong efforts this term, Sonnyboyliston would enter the Ebor rated four pounds short of the 112 he was given after his win at the Curragh back in October. He can challenge in the Ebor with 9-8 on his back.
Verdict
Ilaraab and Sonnyboyliston are our two against the field for the 2021 Ebor Handicap.
2021 Ebor Handicap Ante-Post Tip 1: Ilaraab Each-Way @11/1 at Betgoodwin - 8 Units
2021 Ebor Handicap Ante-Post Tip 2: Sonnyboyliston Each-Way @9/1 at bet365 - 8 Units
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