Willie Mullins Takes Aim at Fourth Ebor Handicap

The 2026 Ebor Festival draws to a close at York on Saturday afternoon. As with the first three days, Day 4 is lit up by a Group 1 highlight, this time in the shape of the City of York Stakes. However, it is a handicap contest which takes top billing, as the runners and riders tackle the demanding 1m6f of the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap.

First run in 1843, the Ebor of the race title is short for Eboracum, which is the ancient Roman word for York. One of the oldest flat handicaps on the British calendar, it is also the richest, with the £500,000 on offer making it the most valuable race of its type in Europe.

That level of prize money guarantees a field of the classiest staying handicappers from both sides of the Irish Sea, with runners from Flat and National Hunt yards regularly showing up on the Knavesmire. Leading the charge for the jumping yards in 2026 is the all-conquering Irish trainer who has claimed two of the past three editions of this much-sought-after prize.

Love Me Tender to Lead the Way?

Best known as the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, Willie Mullins is also a man to be feared in some of the biggest flat contests. Boasting wins at Royal Ascot and even out in America at the Breeders’ Cup Festival, the Closutton maestro first tasted Ebor success with Sesenta in 2009. He waited 14 years for a second win, when Absurde came home in front in 2023, with Ethical Diamond making it two wins in the space of three years in 2025.

In addition to being five years old at the time of their wins, Absurde and Ethical Diamond both carried the colours of the H O S Syndicate into the winners’ enclosure. As such, fans of trainer and owner trends will be drawn to the claims of this year’s Mullins/H O S Syndicate representative, Love Me Tender.

Like Absurde, this son of Tai Chi began his career overseas. However, whereas Absurde had raced 11 times in France before joining Mullins, Love Me Tender has only three starts to his name. He won two of those, with the third seeing him finish fourth in a Listed event at Chantilly. Yet to race beyond 1m2f or in handicap company, he is almost impossible to assess. Nevertheless, bottom weight of 8st12lb gives him every chance under William Buick, and punters are keeping the faith. Following the confirmation of the final field on Thursday morning, Love Me Tender was one of only four runners available to back at a single-figure price.

With Saffie Osborne in the saddle, Mr Hollywood appears to be the Mullins second string but arguably brings stronger form credentials to the table. Having claimed a maiden hurdle over 2m6f last time, his stamina is not in doubt, while he scored in Group 3 company on the flat during his time in Germany. At a double-figure price, he seems sure to be a popular each-way option.

Tarriance to Keep the Good Times Rolling for Balding

Thanks to wins in the Falmouth Stakes, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and Prix Rothschild, Andrew Balding was already enjoying an excellent year before the Ebor Festival began. Item kept the momentum going on the opening day when stunning Ombudsman and Constitution River in the Juddmonte International.

With a host of entries across the meeting, Balding may have added to his Ebor Festival tally before the titular handicap rolls around. Whatever the case, a win in this £500,000 contest would help in his bid to reel in Aidan O’Brien in the race for the trainer’s title. In Tarriance, Balding may have the right horse for the job.

Sporting the same Juddmonte silks as Balding’s Group 1 stars Kalpana, Blue Bolt, and Item, Tarriance posted his most recent success over this course and distance in the 2025 Melrose Handicap. He came up short in the Group 1 St Leger Stakes on the back of that effort but has since finished second in a Group 2 contest in Riyadh. Following underwhelming efforts at Ascot and here in May, he took a step back in the right direction when fourth at the Qatar Goodwood Festival last time. With the runner-up from that contest winning on the opening day of the Ebor Festival, the form looks solid, and this son of Frankel could be ready to peak at just the right time.

High Hopes for Wathnan Racing

With multiple wins at Royal Ascot and the Qatar Goodwood Festival, Wathnan Racing know their way to the winner’s enclosure at the major summer festivals. However, the Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani-backed operation is yet to make much of a splash at the Ebor Festival. What better place to make a mark than in the meeting’s signature handicap?

The selected duo to carry the blue, gold, and red silks on Saturday afternoon are Opportunity and Hopewell Rock. Hailing from the yard of William Haggas, Opportunity is saddled with top weight, following back-to-back handicap wins and a runner-up effort in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes last time. The presence of James Doyle in the saddle suggests Opportunity is the Wathnan number one, but Hopewell Rock opened up at a shorter price in the market. Representing George Boughey, this New Bay gelding found significant improvement for his first crack at this trip last time. He’s up 4lb for that win in the Summer Handicap but was well on top at the line and may have more to offer.

Others to note in a typically competitive renewal are the Joseph O’Brien-trained Emit, hat-trick-seeking Daiquiri Bay from the yard of Alan King, and Klassleader, who looked good when winning at this track in May. The Ebor will run at 3:35 on Saturday afternoon.