York Racecourse
Set on the historic Knavesmire common just south of York city centre, this is one of Britain’s greatest flat racecourses and routinely voted the country’s best by racegoers. The Ebor Festival in August is the year’s highlight, with the Dante Meeting in May serving up the most reliable Derby trial of the season.
LEFT-HANDED
EST. 1731
About York Racecourse
Set on the historic Knavesmire common just south of York city centre, this is one of Britain’s greatest flat racecourses and routinely voted the country’s best by racegoers. The Ebor Festival in August is the year’s highlight, with the Dante Meeting in May serving up the most reliable Derby trial of the season. York Racecourse is a flat racing only racecourse, located at Knavesmire Road, York, YO23 1EX.
Ebor Festival, mid-August
Four days of championship flat racing on the Knavesmire. The Ebor Festival includes three Group 1s — the Juddmonte International, the Yorkshire Oaks and the Nunthorpe Stakes — alongside the Ebor Handicap, one of Europe’s most valuable flat handicaps.
Meetings & feature races
York Racecourse on the Knavesmire is widely regarded as the finest flat racecourse in Britain — routinely voted top by racegoers in industry polls. The four-day Ebor Festival in August is the headline meeting, featuring three Group 1 races. The Dante Festival in May produces the season’s most reliable Derby trial. The John Smith’s Cup Meeting in July adds a major summer handicap to the calendar.
The Ebor Festival (mid-August)
The Ebor Festival is one of the last major meetings of the flat season and includes three Group 1 races. Many see the Ebor Handicap as the biggest race of the four days. The name comes from the Roman for York, Eboracum, with the Ebor one of the most valuable flat handicaps in Europe. It was famously won by Sea Pigeon in 1979, a horse better known for his steeplechase efforts and twice Champion Hurdle winner (1980 and 1981).
Ebor Handicap Key Trends
Only one favourite has triumphed in the last 13 renewals of the Ebor Handicap, with 10 of the last 13 winners going off at double-figure odds. Sixteen of the last 19 winners have previously won over 1m 4f or further, and 13 of the last 17 have been aged five or six. Form study over the trip and proven stamina matter more than market position.
The Dante Festival (mid-May)
The three-day Dante Meeting is centred around the Group 2 Dante Stakes — the year’s most reliable Derby trial. First run in 1958, the 1m 2.5f clash attracts the best three-year-olds from across Europe. There have been ten runners who have completed the Dante-Derby double, the most recent being Golden Horn (2015), who went on to claim the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and crown a career that spanned just 367 days.
Dante Stakes Key Trends
The favourites have enjoyed little success in recent years, but long-odds winners are rare too — only two of the last 12 victors priced at 10/1 or bigger. Six of the last 12 have been in the top three in the betting, and seven of the last 12 won their previous race before the Dante.
John Smith’s Cup Meeting (mid-July)
The John Smith’s Cup is one of the most valuable mile-and-a-quarter handicaps in Europe. The two-day meeting features the headline 1m 2f handicap on the Saturday alongside strong supporting Group and Listed contests. A handicap-bettor’s puzzle with full fields and competitive form.
Live races at York
Upcoming races at York
Live racecards from York — pulled from our racing data feed, refreshed throughout the day.
No York meetings scheduled in the next 14 days.
Check the UK Racing Predictor for races at other tracks today, or visit York Racing Data for past meetings and statistics.
Ebor Handicap — key trends
Best UK bookmakers for York racing
The major race days at York come with significant promotional support from UK bookmakers. Best Odds Guaranteed is standard at the leading sportsbooks; the offers below are the strongest currently available to new customers.
See all UK horse racing bonuses →
Course statistics & betting angles
York’s wide, galloping, left-handed track is routinely voted the best in Britain. Even the largest fields fit comfortably without traffic problems.
On the straight 5f and 6f, low draws have a slight edge when the field races stands’ side. In big-field handicaps over the round course, mid-to-low draws favoured.
John & Thady Gosden, Aidan O’Brien, William Haggas, Charlie Appleby and Karl Burke all have outstanding York records.
Knavesmire ground is typically good to firm in summer but can ride softer than expected after rain. The August Ebor Festival has produced both very fast and quite testing surfaces in recent years.
How to watch racing at York
ITV shows the big races at the Ebor Festival and Dante Meeting live, while in-depth coverage of every race over the festivals is provided by Racing TV. The John Smith’s Cup is also covered by ITV. For race-by-race tips and value picks, the horse.bet UK Racing Predictor publishes daily picks for every York fixture.
Visiting York
York Racecourse sits on the Knavesmire common just south of York city centre, around 1.5 miles from the railway station. York is on the East Coast Main Line with regular direct services from London Kings Cross (2 hours), Leeds and Newcastle. The A1237 ring road is the closest motorway-grade approach. The course is family-friendly with a number of enclosure options and a more relaxed dress code than southern Group 1 venues.
Official York Racecourse website →
Frequently asked questions
When is the Ebor Festival?
The Ebor Festival runs over four days in mid-August each year, from Wednesday to Saturday. The Ebor Handicap is on the Saturday.
What is the biggest race at York?
The Juddmonte International over 1 mile 2.5 furlongs is the most prestigious Group 1, while the Ebor Handicap is the meeting’s most valuable handicap and one of Europe’s richest flat handicaps.
Is the Dante a good Derby trial?
Yes — the Dante is widely regarded as the most reliable Derby trial run in Britain. Ten horses have completed the Dante-Derby double, most recently Golden Horn in 2015.
Does York host jump racing?
No. York is a flat-only racecourse, with its season running from May to October.
Where can I find Ebor tips?
The horse.bet UK Racing Predictor publishes daily picks during the Ebor Festival, with full-field probability ratings and value plays for every race.
For entertainment and information purposes. Always gamble responsibly. 18+ where applicable. Help and support: GamCare.org.uk, BeGambleAware.org.