2021 Ebor Festival: Runners to Watch and Big Betting Favourites in Lonsdale Cup

The path to next month’s Doncaster Cup should become all the clearer after Franki Dettori and Stradivarius attempt to cement their places as the most successful pair in the 2021 Lonsdale Cup.

This year’s race, according to horse betting experts, will serve as one of the main events on show during Friday’s programming at the Ebor Festival (Aug. 20) and features a field of 17 strong competing for an £85,000 prize.

The potential honours are far greater for Dettori and Stradivarius, however, as each target record-breaking accolades in what promises to be one of the most anticipated races of the weekend.

Everythinghorse.co.uk analyses the bookmakers’ early picks emerging in contention for first place at this year’s Lonsdale Cup before the Ebor Festival at York rounds into the home straight.

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Stradivarius (7/4)

Not only can two-time winner Stradivarius add to his list of achievements by becoming the most successful horse in Lonsdale Cup history with a third win on Friday, but jockey Dettori has history in front of him as well.

Dettori, 50, is currently tied with Pat Eddery as the joint-most successful jockey in this race with five victories apiece.

It was the Italian who piloted the seven-year-old superstar to successive Lonsdale Cup wins in 2018 and 2019, not to mention being aboard for four wins in as many outings at York.

The BBC chronicled Stradivarius’ historic win to claim a third successive Gold Cup last year, while his latest triumph came at the Longines Sagaro Stakes in April:

Trainer John Gosden pulled Stradivarius out of the Goodwood Cup in July due to fears over the wet conditions, and there will be tension once more at York that it’s dry enough for his liking.

That being said, there’s hardly another horse to consider if the variables match up for Dettori and his favourite steed in what’s sure to be must-watch racing this Friday.

Trueshan (11/4)

In the event those factors don’t align perfectly for the standout frontrunner, however, five-year-old Trueshan is tipped to be one of those capable of raining on his parade in the north.

His first two races of 2021 ended in second and sixth-place finishes at Chester and Newcastle in May and June, respectively.

However, jockey Hollie Doyle got things right to claim a Group 1 win of huge proportions in the Goodwood Cup last month:

Trueshan will look to use that momentum to build on the biggest result of his career, returning to Group 2 racing among some esteemed competition over the two-mile distance.

Spanish Mission (4/1)

In a somewhat backwards sequence of events, Spanish Mission goes in search of the win in the Lonsdale Cup despite being the reigning champ in the Doncaster Cup, the event to which this race serves as a warm-up.

Nonetheless, trainer Andrew Balding will be eager to complete the set and clinch further success at York, with only three months having passed since Spanish Mission beat Santiago to the Yorkshire Cup in May.

The only concern for bettors here is Spanish Mission’s more impressive performances of late have come below the two-mile range, while larger fields of a dozen or more have also crowded him out somewhat.

2021 Lonsdale Cup Stakes – Odds Leaders