WITH three weeks to go to the start of York’s Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival, Turf Talk begins its countdown by asking the track’s head of marketing, James Brennan to relive his five favourite Knavesmire Ebor moments over his time at the course.


1999: Royal Anthem (Henry Cecil, Gary Stevens) wins the Juddmonte International Stakes

THE firsts in life are often memorable and my first Group 1 at York lived up to that billing. The home straight on Knavesmire is a test for a thoroughbred and Royal Anthem marked himself a true champion by extending his lead over a quality field as the line beckoned.

Jockey Gary Stevens proved a marketing man’s dream as he talked with charm, knowledge and patience to the assembled press corps.


2002: Russian Rhythm (Sir Michael Stoute, Kieren Fallon) wins the Connollys Red Mills Lowther Stakes

OVER 13 Festivals, some of the world’s best riders have partnered many great horses, on occasion securing a victory against the odds.

A clear example came in the 2002 renewal of the leading contest for juvenile fillies. Unbeaten at that point in her career, Russian Rhythm found herself both favourite and in a horrible position at the two furlong pole.

It took a rare horseman and an even rarer horse to rectify the situation with a withering burst of speed to deliver happy punters and flabbergasted pundits.


2006: Mudawin (Jane Chapple-Hyam, John Egan) shocks the racing world by winning the Betfred Ebor Handicap

TO make your mark in a race that has been run since 1843 takes something truly remarkable and becoming the longest priced winner ever secured Mudawin his place in the history of this famous handicap.

Returned at 100-1 he needed every yard of the distance to win in what commentator Mike Cattermole described as “absolute silence” – as someone standing near to trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam, I can confirm that wasn’t strictly accurate.


2009: Borderlescott (Robin Bastiman, Neil Callan) takes the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes

YORKSHIRE trained winners in Ebor week are always memorable but the stand out goes to Borderlescott’s achievement in becoming the fastest horse on Knavesmire in 2009. Clearly a much loved horse at home you could see what it meant to the Cowthorpe-based Bastiman family to have a big race winner at their local track.

After the disappointment of the wet weather the previous year, it was a treat to see a double achieved on home turf.


2012: Frankel (Sir Henry Cecil, Tom Queally) wins the Juddmonte International Stakes

AS long as they write histories of York, racing and even sport in general, “Frankel Day” will feature, so it is only an adherence to chronology that sees August 2012 appear at the end of the list.

We planned for him coming, assigned him a policeman and then held our breath as the best horse in the world ever took on the challenge of a new distance around Knavesmire.

In a little over two minutes he created a memory that will last a lifetime for those who were there to witness it.