Friday, August 21 is Nunthorpe Day at the UK’s prestigious York Ebor Festival, with the feature race being the Nunthorpe Stakes.

It is a short race, as it is run over a distance of 5 furlongs, with horses set to go to the post at 00:35 AEST – and there’s an Australian runner which might just catch your eye here.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Bacio to win

Value bet: Asfoora each-way

Long shot: Each-way on Rayevka

Betting Preview

Seven races are scheduled throughout the day, with the first being at 22:50 AEST. Most eyes will be on the Nunthorpe Stakes, as it is the only Grade 1 race of the day.

The race, first run in 1922, features a collection of the best horses across varying age groups aged two or over.

With the going at York being classified as ‘good’, this could suit certain horses more than others in a race that has a prize purse of approximately AU$800,000 up for grabs.

A diverse field is scheduled to participate in this race, with up to 22 entrants possible. Current racecards feature 20 already, making this a race that has potential value in the betting odds immediately.

Australian runner Asfoora won the 2025 Nunthorpe Stakes, when ridden by Oisin Murphy and trained by Henry Dwyer. She beat Ain’t Nobody by 1.25 lengths.

Frost At Dawn finished third, with Night Raider fourth. Out of those four horses, only Frost At Dawn isn’t listed to compete in this year’s edition.

Another popular race is the Lonsdale Cup (23:25 AEST), a Group 2, Class 1 race featuring top horses over just over 2 miles (2 miles 56 yards).

Caballo De Mar is deemed the early favourite, with Amiloc the most likely challenger.

Betting Markets to Watch

Asfoora is considered to have a legitimate chance of winning the Nunthorpe Stakes once again, although her form isn’t quite the best going into the race. This is perhaps why her odds aren’t listed as the early favourite.

The current favourite is Bacio , with the three-year-old having had an impressive win at the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes at Ascot recently.

The American horse has had two wins this season already, having ended last year with two wins and a second-placed finish.

Bacio also receives the three-year-old weight allowance in this race. Although only 2lb, it could make a telling difference, given that the race is run over just 5 furlongs.

It could allow him to accelerate more quickly than others, potentially creating distance early and setting the pace.

Our Prediction

Check the latest horse racing betting odds at Sportsbet.

Our prediction is that Bacio claims the win, as he has a slight weight advantage and is in top form. Asfoora’s form raises questions, although she has value in the each-way.

A long shot that also has value in the each-way is Rayevka. The French sprinter was runner-up in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot and has been deliberately kept fresh for the Nunthorpe Stakes rather than sent to Goodwood.

He also looked solid when he claimed the Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp in May.

York could suit her racing profile, especially with the ground as expected. She has legitimate pace and could bolt, but even her connections have said she’ll need a little bit of luck. So, an each-way placing could provide value.