48 remain in Ebor as Godolphin and Willie Mullins trim prospective squads

Forty eight runners remain entered in the Sky Bet Ebor on Saturday with Godolphin and Willie Mullins responsible for six of the 13 horses who were scratched on Monday.

The £500,000 feature handicap (3.35) of York's four-day meeting, had 61 entered before the six-day confirmation stage but Godolphin has elected to take out four runners while Ireland's champion jumps trainer withdrew two of his entries.

Marshall Plan, Marching Army, Law Of The Sea and Moving Light were all taken out by Godolphin, relying instead on Glorious Goodwood winner Trawlerman and Global Storm to add to their Ebor wins in 2008 (All The Good) and 2012 (Willing Foe).

Mullins is no stranger to success in staying Flat contests and took this race in 2009 with Sesenta, and this year will run Lot Of Joy and Galway Festival winner Echoes In Rain after taking out M C Muldoon and Tax For Max.

Recent handicap winner Juan De Montalban was another notable absentee with Gaassee, Calling The Wind, Euchen Glen, Rajinksy and Benaud all now guaranteed a run in the maximum 22-runner field.

All of the major market leaders stood their ground with Paddy Twomey's four-timer seeking Earl Of Tyrone a general 7-1 favourite.

Absent Alcohol Free

July Cup winner Alcohol Free and William Haggas's progressive filly Sense Of Duty were among the notable absentees from the 11 left in the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes (3.00).

The Andrew Balding-trained star was last seen finishing third to Baaeed in the Sussex Stakes and holds multiple Group 1 entries throughout the autumn, while Sense Of Duty could be held back for the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes on September 3 at Haydock, where she has already won a Listed race this year.

Sandrine (11) and Sacred (red): market leaders for the Sky Bet City Of York StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

The pair had been leading the ante-post market before being taken out although Balding and Haggas still hold a strong hand for the £400,000 Group 2 with Sandrine and Sacred respectively.

Sacred has nearly two lengths to find with last month's Lennox winner Sandrine with the fillies joint-favourites at 6-1 with the race sponsors.

Haggas is also well-represented in the Sky Bet And Symphony Group Strensall Stakes (1.50) which opens Saturday's card. Course-and-distance winner My Oberon was third in the Summer Mile last time out and is joined by Bashkirova in the 1m1f Group 3.

St James's Palace Stakes fifth Mighty Ulysses steps back up in grade after winning a Listed race at Newmarket last time out.

Read more on the Ebor festival . . .

Confirmed runners and riders for York's Juddmonte International on Wednesday

I'm taking on Baaeed - and here's why this horse can give him a proper fight

What's on this week: Baaeed and Stradivarius among the Ebor festival stars

Who wins the 2022 Juddmonte International at York based on previous trends?

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content