Joint-favourite Housesofparliament needs help to make Ebor cut

The chances of a three-year-old running in this year's renewal of the Betfred Ebor at York on August 20 appear to rest on Aidan O'Brien, who has ten of the 13 members of the Classic generation entered in York's major staying handicap.

Among O'Brien's 11 entries, which includes four-year-old Father Christmas, is Housesofparliament, joint-favourite on many ante-post lists with Northumberland Plate winner Antiquariam at 12-1.

Antiquariam and Housesofparliament are both rated 105 by the BHA, but the weight-for-age allowance given to Housesofparliament means that for balloting purposes he is treated as though running off 93, which leaves him unlikely to get a run without a 4lb penalty.