International and Ebor among York races saved
Relocation: new homes have been found for top races lost from York's abandoned Totesport Ebor meeting
NEWMARKET will play host to the Juddmonte International Stakes on Saturday after the BHA worked frantically to re-schedule nine of the races lost from York's abandoned Totesport Ebor meeting.
Headquarters will also stage the Festival's other Group 1 events - the Darley Yorkshire Oaks and the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes - on Friday.
Joining those key contests will be the DBS Sales Race to form a bumper 11-race card.
The Ladbrokes Great Voltigeur will take place at Goodwood on Saturday, while the Ebor becomes the Totesport Newburgh Handicap and will be run at Newbury on Friday.
The Berkshire track is also offering free entry to anybody holding tickets to any of the four days of the York meeting.
Tote chief executive Trevor Beaumont said: "Totesport are delighted to sponsor the replacement race for the Ebor now scheduled to be run at Newbury.
"Of course, there is only one Ebor - and that race can only ever be run at York, but the Totesport Newburgh Handicap (the original Norman name for Newbury) will give the owners and trainers another opportunity to win a valuable staying handicap over the same trip.
"We are obviously disappointed to lose this week's Ebor meetingat York, but look forward to renewing our association with this prestigious and historic race again next season."
BHA director of communications Jon Ryan added: "Ruth Quinn (director of racing) has performed minor miracles in getting this done at suchshort notice.
"A lot of the sponsors have been fantastic and the owners and trainers she has spoken to have, in the main, been incredibly helpful.
"Out of the loss of a four-day meeting like this there are some wonderful positives to racing in terms of what people can do in a crisis, and this is a crisis."
Discussions are on-going to save the Gimcrack, while the Lowther and Lonsdale Cup look like falling by the wayside.
Newmarket clerk of the course and director of racing MichaelProsser welcomed the initiative.
"We view ourselves at Jockey Club racecourses that we are very much here for the good of racing," he said.
"What we have said all along is that hopefully all these races will be staged at York but if not and you need any help from us at any stage then don't be afraid to come to us," he said.
"Following events today and the abandonment of the fixtures the BHA have been very proactive in trying to relocate the key races.
"It's not just us - Newbury and Goodwood,as I understand it, have been extremely helpful.
"It's great that all parties have come together and worked together to find a solution and find a mechanism to stage these races."
Newbury officials were delighted to stage two of York's historic races, the Ebor and the Gimcrack.
Clerk of the course Richard Osgood said: "We're very happy to help everyone out and get the races under way."
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