York Ebor: Most valuable races

There are a number of prestigious races to come at the 2026 York Ebor Festival, and here we take a look at the races that offer the winner the most prize money.

The 2026 York Ebor Festival is set to arrive at the famous and historic York Racecourse for four days of enthralling action in what is one of the most prestigious events in the world of horse racing. It is set to take place from Wednesday, 19th August to Saturday, 22nd August 2026.

There will be seven races each day, which means that a total of 28 will be run, from the Symphony Group Stakes at the start of the first day to the Sky Bet Finale Stakes, the concluding race of the fourth and final day of action. Races start at 13:50 each day, with the seventh and final contest at 17:20.

Here, we are going to take a look at the races that offer the most prize money to the winner.

5: Tattersalls Acomb Stakes – £165,000

We will be starting this list with the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes, which will be offering a very cool £165,000 in prize money for whoever comes out on top as the winner of the 2025 renewal of this race.

Gewan, ridden by Jockey PJ McDonald, is the most recent winner of this race after securing victory ahead of the likes of Italy and Distant Storm, who both had to settle for a second and third place finish, respectively, in the end.

4: Sky Bet Strensall Stakes & Sky Bet Melrose Stakes – £170,000

Up next are the Sky Bet Strensall Stakes and the Sky Bet Melrose Stakes, which both have prize money amounting to £170,000 for the winner of both races in 2026.

Starting with the Strensall Stakes, they were most recently won by King of Cities, fending off some stern competition from runner-up Boiling Point and Skukuza in third.

As for the Melrose Stakes, the most recent running of this race was won by Colin Keane and Tarriance. Meanwhile, Oisin Murphy’s Many Men had to settle for second, whilst Rossa Ryan’s Daiquiri Bay came in third place.

3: Sky Bet Voltigeur Stakes, Sky Bet Lowther Stakes, Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup & Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes – £250,000

Next on the list are the Sky Bet Voltigeur Stakes, Sky Bet Lowther Stakes, Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup, and the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, which all offer prize money standing at £250,000 for the winners of each of these races.

The most recent Voltigeur Stakes at York back in 2025 was won by Pride of Arras, who was ridden by Jockey Rossa Ryan. The two remaining spots in the top three were filled by Colin Keane’s Carmers and Tom Marquand’s Arabian Force.

It was William Buick on board Royal Fixation who won the most recent running of the Lowther Stakes, with Ryan Moore’s America Queen and Callum Shepherd’s Staya coming in second and third overall.

The most recent winner of the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup was Trawlerman, who was led to victory by Jockey William Buick, just ahead of Sweet William, the runner-up. Rossa Ryan’s Al Nayyir came in third.

As for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes, they were won most recently in 2025 by Zak Wheatley and Lifeplan. It was Rock On Thunder and Do Or Do Not who had to settle for second and third place overall.

2: Harry’s Half Million by Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes, Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes, Sky Bet City of York Stakes & Sky Bet Ebor – £500,000

With prize money of no less than £500,000 for each of the winners, the following races offer the joint second most prize money at the 2026 York Ebor Festival, and they are as follows: the Harry’s Half Million by Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes, the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes, the Sky Bet City of York Stakes and the Sky Bet Ebor.

Starting with the Yearling Stakes, they were won in 2025 by Revival Power and Jockey David Allan, followed by pre-race favourite Military Code in second place and pre-race favourite Dickensian in third.

Moving on to the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, it was pre-race favourite Minnie Hauk, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Jockey Ryan Moore, who came out on top in the most recent running of this race in 2025. Estrange and Garden of Eden came in second and third place, respectively.

The 2025 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes were won by Henry Dwyer’s Asfoora, with jockey Oisin Murphy able to fend off some stern competition from the likes of Ain’t Nobody, who was the runner-up, and Frost At Dawn, who came in third place.

When it comes to the most recent running of the Sky Bet City of York Stakes in 2025, Never So Brave came out on top with the victory in the race ahead of runner-up Lake Forest, ridden by Tom Marquand, with Maranoa Charlie finishing in third.

Now for the Sky Bet Ebor, which is the final race worth £500,000 in prize money. William Buick won on board pre-race favourite Ethical Diamond, whilst it was Ascending and Queenstown who came in second and third respectively.

1: Juddmonte International Stakes – £1,250,000

The iconic Juddmonte International Stakes is, of course, prestigious and amongst the highest profile races in horse racing each year, and this is most certainly set to be no different in 2026. The prestige of this race means that the prize money for the winner will be an extraordinary £1,250,000, more than any other race at the event this year.

The most recent winner was Ombudsman in 2025. Ryan Moore rode Delacroix to second place, with Ghostwriter finishing in third place.

There is plenty of excitement and anticipation for the enthralling action to come across all four days at the historic York Racecourse for the 2026 York Ebor Festival, which is set to start on Wednesday, 19th August, before coming to a close on Saturday, 22nd August 2026.

There is no better way to experience world-class horse racing in 2026 than with an Eventmasters VIP Hospitality Package. Book now to avoid disappointment.