Relentless Voyager tops the maximum field of 20 runners for today’s Sky Bet Ebor with leading fancies Queenstown, Epic Poet and Magical Zoe all declared on Thursday.
Forza Orta got the final place in the field. The 12-1 shot Harbour Wind and 25-1 chances Lot Of Joy, Shadow Dance and Night Sparkle were not confirmed.
The David O’Meara-trained Epic Poet has shaped well in big handicaps, finishing second at Royal Ascot before an eyecatching fifth in the John Smith’s Cup at York over a shorter trip.
It has been 23 years since Aidan O’Brien last landed the Ebor and he runs a fascinating contender in Queenstown. The four-year-old was just a length behind leading stayer and stablemate Kyprios in a Group 3 on his last start in May. It is also his handicap debut, while O’Brien advertised his stable’s form with a Group-race treble on Wednesday, including with City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International. Magical Zoe was third at Group level last month and the Henry de Bromhead-trained runner, who has placed twice over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival, will be ridden by Billy Lee.
Hipop De Loire represents last year’s winning trainer Willie Mullins and has an interesting profile, having joined the yard from Poland-based Marlena Stanislawska. He was second at Galway over hurdles on his first start for new connections but was placed at Listed level in Germany on the Flat.
Other leading contenders include Shadwell’s Naqeeb and Burdett Road, one of last season’s star juvenile hurdlers. Topweight Relentless Voyager is joined by Fairbanks from the Andrew Balding stable.
Elsewhere, Audience and Kinross were declared for the Group 2 Sky Bet City of York Stakes (3.00), while topweight and ante-post favourite Align The Stars was not among the final field for the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (2.25).
Sky Bet Ebor Handicap
Relentless Voyager Oisin Murphy
Queenstown James Doyle
Wise Eagle Ben Robinson
Naqeeb Jim Crowley
Crystal Delight Tom Marquand
Yashin Oisin Orr
Hipop de Loire Colin Keane
Magical Zoe Billy Lee
Onesmoothoperator Connor Beasley
Burdett Road Silvestre de Sousa
Ziggy Richard Kingscote
Fairbanks David Probert
Epic Poet Daniel Tudhope
Sea King Luke Morris
Alfred Boucher C.Shepherd
Not So Sleepy D. Allen
My Mate Mozzie Gary Carroll
Chillingham Callum Rodriguez
Kihavah PJ McDonald
Iron Lion Rossa Ryan
Oneforthegutter Joe Fanning
Forza Orta Cam Hardie
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