Ebor Handicap to shape Melbourne Cup campaign for Eustace stable

The upcoming Ebor Handicap at York will be a decisive race for Harry Eustace’s Spring Carnival plans in Australia. Docklands, who impressed at Royal Ascot, is almost certain to head Down Under, but the Ebor performances of Crystal Delight and Ziggy will determine if they join him.

Crystal Delight, a five-year-old with a rating of 105, is being eyed for the Caulfield Cup, contingent on a strong Ebor run. “Australia has been something we’ve had in the back of our mind for Crystal Delight, as long as plans went the way we hoped they would,” Eustace said.

Ziggy, a six-year-old with a last-start win at York, will only travel to Melbourne if he wins the Ebor, securing a Melbourne Cup spot. “He would only look to come down if he was to win the Ebor and get himself an automatic run in the Melbourne Cup,” Eustace noted.

Crystal Delight is currently at $51 for the Caulfield Cup, while Ziggy is listed at $101 with online betting sites.

Meanwhile, Docklands is set for a Cox Plate campaign, with a run in the G1 Juddmonte International at York before quarantine. Docklands’ strong performance at Royal Ascot put him firmly in the Cox Plate picture, where he’s currently at $26 in the market with bookmakers.

As the Ebor Handicap looms, the results will play a crucial role in determining the final lineup for the Melbourne Cup and the broader Spring Carnival.