Now for something a little bit different: a 99-year-old selling race at York

York is doing its bit to help preserve an endangered species by running the Rous Selling Stakes on Friday.

Racing Post research this week showed there has been a steep decline in sellers, an age-old type of race in which the winner is put up for immediate auction and all other runners can be claimed.

Only 31 sellers were run in Britain last year, compared to no fewer than 237 in 2010. But York remains committed to this historic two-year-old event which was first run in 1925, making it older than the Juddmonte International, Great Voltigeur, Yorkshire Cup or John Smith’s Cup.

A field of 15 will contest the £25,000 CGE Yorkshire-backed contest, which is the joint-richest selling race in the country. James Brennan, head of marketing and sponsorship at the track, said: “We have 117 races in our programme and it’s something that’s a little bit different.

“It comes with its own theatre in the post-race auction and it’s another way of creating a competitive race. The field size holds up and it works for us and for other people.”

Celestial Flight (blue and yellow) won the Rous Selling Stakes in 2023

In the last three years, the successful owners had to go up to £25,000, £44,000 and £28,000 to buy back their winner of a race that can throw up a class horse.

The 2011 winner Nameitwhatyoulike returned to York to land the Listed Garrowby Stakes later in his career and the remarkable filly Jamarj scored twice at that level within 14 months of her 1987 success in a race which was then run at the Ebor meeting in August.

It certainly seems to be an important race for Malton trainer Ollie Pears, who won it for the second time in seven runnings last season and has three runners this time. 

“I like to support the race, it gives owners with cheap horses the chance to go to York," he said.

"I run three and Inconspicuous has come on for his very good debut, Owt For Nowt will improve for the step up in trip and Wondrous Ways ran a tidy race at Redcar last time, so I hope they all have chances."

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