Betfred to sponsor Ebor

Betfred are to sponsor the Ebor at York on August 20 for the first time following their successful purchase of the Tote.

First run on the Knavesmire in 1843, the Ebor is the most valuable handicap in Europe, with a total prize fund of £210,000, and was first sponsored by the Tote back in 1976.

The race will be staged on a Saturday for the first time this year.

Betfred chairman Fred Done said: “I’m delighted to be sponsoring the Betfred Ebor for the first time this year and hope that this will be the beginning of a long-standing and fruitful relationship with York racecourse.

“The Ebor has been one of the cornerstones of the Tote’s sponsorship portfolio for years and I plan to make the race bigger and better than before under the Betfred banner.”

Betfred will also sponsor the Melrose Stakes on the same card, run over the same trip as the Ebor, and won last year by Mount Athos.

The latter, now trained in Ireland by David Wachman, currently heads the Ebor market with the sponsors in company with the Brian Ellison-trained Saptapadi at 10-1.