THE last eight-year-old to win the Sky Bet Ebor? It’s a bit like the last 10-year-old to win the Champion Hurdle. Sea Pigeon, except that he wasn’t a 10-year-old when he won his last Champion Hurdle, he was an 11-year-old.

Same answer. Sea Pigeon.(See above.) Except that he wasn’t an eight-year-old when he won the Ebor, he was a nine-year-old.

Sea Pigeon was only really getting going when he won the Ebor in 1979. He had already won two Chester Cups all right, and two Scottish Champion Hurdles and a Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

But he didn’t win the first of his two Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham until seven months after he won the Ebor, and he won his second 12 months after that.

Hipop De Loire hasn’t won any Chester Cups or Scottish Champion Hurdles, not yet anyway, but he did win a listed race at Hoppegarten as a whipper-snapper five-year-old.

It is probable that this has been Willie Mullins’ plan for him since this day last year, when he finished fifth in the 2024 Ebor, four and a half lengths behind the winner Magical Zoe.

Crucially, he didn’t have an awful lot of luck in last year’s race. Back in the field early on, he travelled really well into the home straight. The only horse who was still on the bridle at the three-furlong pole, he was checked in his run at the two-furlong marker.

He had all momentum halted, and Colin Keane had to take him back and switch to his right. When he did, the American Post gelding finished off his race best of all, getting up for fifth place close home.

Preparation

His preparation this year has been very similar to his preparation last year, only better. Second to his stable companion Jackfinbar in a maiden hurdle at the Galway Festival last year, on his first run for Willie Mullins and his last run before the 2024 Ebor, he went one better in a maiden hurdle over a longer trip at this year’s Galway Festival.

That should bring him forward nicely for today. He gets to race today off a mark of 106, just 3lb higher than the mark off which he raced last year, and he will have Colin Keane for company again. He is a deserving favourite.

But he is short enough for such a competitive race, and Shadow Dance may represent some value against him.

Roger Varian’s horse didn’t have a smooth time of it through the early part of the season, he didn’t make his seasonal debut until three and a half weeks ago, when he ran in a 10-furlong handicap at Goodwood.

While that obviously wasn’t a positive in terms of the early part of the season, it could be a positive specifically in terms of today’s race. It means that the handicapper hasn’t had much opportunity to re-assess him yet this term.

Roger Varian said at the start of the season that the Ebor was the plan for him and, in that context, his seasonal return in that 10-furlong contest at Goodwood was most encouraging.

Competing over a distance that was well short of his best, he got a little out-paced when they quickened, but he stayed on nicely. He only finished ninth, and the winner Westridge won well, but he finished less than three lengths behind the runner-up Naqeeb.

He should progress from that run, his first since last September, and he should improve for the step back up in trip, and he should appreciate the return to York.

On his only run to date on the Knavesmire, he won a 12-furlong handicap at this meeting last year off a mark of 95.

He is 5lb higher now, and he is five years old, but he has proven that he is well capable off this mark of 100. Also, he is a lightly-raced five-year-old, he has raced just 10 times in his life, and he is wholly unexposed over a mile and six furlongs.

On his only run over this type of trip, he finished third in the Mallard Handicap at Doncaster last year off today’s mark of 100, beaten a short head and a neck. He has a nice draw in stall eight, and Silvestre de Sousa is a good booking.

Melrose Handicap

Earlier in the day, and over the same course and distance, Many Men could be the answer to the Melrose Handicap.

Jim Goldie’s horse was disappointing on his penultimate run at Haydock, but you can allow him that because it was flanked by good runs, winning runs.

He stayed on well to just get up and win a mile, six-and-a-half-furlong handicap at Doncaster in early June off a mark of 80, and then, last time, racing off a mark of 85, he did well to win a 0-90 handicap at Ascot over two miles.

Last of the six runners into the home straight that day, he had to wait for a few strides for the gap to develop on the far side but, when it did, he picked up well, and he stayed on strongly to get up and beat Blindedbythelights by a length.

Back in third that day was Fireblade, who won the Shergar Cup Stayers two weeks later over the same course and distance. He is now rated 5lb higher than he was then.

The handicapper raised Many Men by 3lb for that win, and that was not harsh. He has had more racing than most of his rivals, but he remains unexposed over staying trips, he is two for three over a mile and six furlongs or further, and he left the impression that he was winning with at least a little in hand at Ascot last time.

He could take another step forward today.

Recommended

Many Men, 2.25 York, 12/1 (generally), 1 point win

Shadow Dance, 3.35 York, 8/1 (generally), 1 point each-way