York Racecourse is delighted that its flagship race for female horses, the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, has been confirmed as the best race for fillies and mares in the whole of Europe, following the announcement by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, known as the Longines World Rankings.
 
Appropriately, the race is the highlight of Ladies Day (Thursday) at the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival every August and in 2016 it provided Irish trainer, Aidan O’Brien, with a memorable 1-2 as Seventh Heaven and Found led the field home.
 
Elsewhere in the seasonal review, the fastest race of the York season, The Group One Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes was rated as the best five furlong sprint in the world. A tribute to the two time locally trained winner, Mecca’s Angel, who is based in County Durham with Michael Dods.
 
The Juddmonte International, the feature of the opening day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival was ranked number two of all thoroughbred horse races across the country.
 
To earn these accolades, for each race, the official performance ratings - allocated by the International Panel of Thoroughbred Handicappers of the first four horses past the Knavesmire winning post over the last three seasons - were assessed to give the ratings. 
 
As a further indication of the high quality of horses attracted to York, the individual ratings awarded to Postponed and Found meant they were the best in Europe in the categories of older colt and mare, respectively.
 
The three Group One races at York have each benefited from consistent investment and support by long-standing bloodstock sponsors, Juddmonte Farms, Darley and Coolmore. 
 
Summing up the achievement, William Derby, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course said, “This is a fantastic endorsement of the quality of racing at York.  For each of our Group One races to feature so strongly on a global list is a tremendous tribute to everyone associated with York Racecourse.  We remain hugely grateful and appreciative of the support we receive from so many individuals and organisations in helping stage top quality racing at York.  Having featured so strongly in these rankings is a huge accolade for York, Yorkshire and British racing and we are determined to keep building on this award and to keep delivering fantastic racing action, facilities and experience at York into the future.”