York Ebor Festival: Favourite Magical Zoe wins Ebor Handicap

Favourite Magical Zoe won the Ebor Handicap – Europe’s most valuable flat handicap race – for trainer Henry de Bromhead at the York Ebor Festival.

Jockey Billy Lee galloped away on Magical Zoe up the final stretch to comfortably win the £500,000 race by two-and-three-quarter lengths.

Crystal Delight suffered a fatal injury during the race. Jockey Tom Marquand was unseated from his mount but won the following contest on Elmonjed.

Kihavah claimed second behind Magical Zoe, with Oneforthegutter in third, followed by Epic Poet and Hipop De Loire.

“It’s great, I’m delighted for the lads [owners Patrick and Scott Bryceland], they came up with the idea of coming here and what a brilliant idea it was,” De Bromhead added.

“She won it well, Billy [Lee] was brilliant on her.”

Victory ensured Britain’s most prestigious flat handicap race went to Ireland for the third time in four years, following victories for Johnny Murtagh’s Sonnyboyliston in 2021 and the Willie Mullins-trained Absurde last year.

“As soon as the gates opened, the race couldn’t have gone any smoother, she travelled like a dream,” Lee told ITV Sport.

“As soon as I gave her the go-ahead she picked up well.”