Dubai Dominates York’s Ebor Festival

The prestigious York Ebor Festival, often called the “Royal Ascot of the North,” saw a dominant performance by Dubai-owned horses. The event, which is a key fixture on the British flat racing calendar, was highlighted by a series of victories from prominent Dubai stables, including Team Godolphin and horses owned by Saeed Suhail.

Key Victories and Highlights

• Godolphin’s Triumphs: Team Godolphin secured three major wins, including the highly-coveted Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1) with the horse Ombudsman. This victory added to Godolphin’s impressive season, which now includes 76 Stakes wins, 15 of them at Group 1 level.
• Trawlerman won the Lonsdale Cup (Group 2), while Fifth Column also contributed to Godolphin’s success by winning the Mile Handicap.
• Never So Brave’s Crowning Moment: The festival’s finale was a crowning moment for Dubai, as Never So Brave, owned by businessman Saeed Suhail, stormed to victory in the City of York Stakes (Group 1). This win added to Suhail’s already impressive collection of major trophies, which includes two Epsom Derby wins.
• Sheikh Hamdan’s Victory: Charlotte’s Web, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, secured a win in the Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes.
• Continued Sponsorship: The involvement of Dubai’s racing patrons was further highlighted by Mahlih Al Basti’s sponsorship of the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes (Group 2), where Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s horse finished second.

The Ebor Festival once again proved to be a showcase for top-tier horse racing, with Dubai-owned runners demonstrating their continued influence and success on the global stage.