THERE might be the Juddmonte International, there might be the Darley Yorkshire Oaks, but today – the totesport Ebor handicap – is what racing at York is all about.

It's the track's signature contest, it's why we call this four-days of August madness the Ebor Festival.

Europe's richest handicap, worth £210,000, has again attracted a full field of 20 and looks sure to be a cracking renewal.

Martyr, Overturn and Fortuni were all disputing favouritism this morning and the first of these looks a formidable threat.

Trained by Richard Hannon, Martyr has been in superb form this campaign and got into the race on the back of a four pound penalty he picked up for an impressive three length win at Glorious Goodwood.

That followed victories at Newmarket and Ascot, all on good to firm ground, and Hannon is said to be delighted with his progress.

Overturn, saddled by Donald McCain Jnr, looks like a potential Sea Pigeon – a horse as versatile over the sticks as he is on the Flat.

The Galway Hurdle a couple of weeks ago followed victory in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle and neither the ground, or the trip, should be a problem for the six-year-old.

Sea Pigeon's victory, in 1979, was arguably this race's defining moment. Another glorious triumph will be witnessed if Overturn can do it.

Fortuni is trained by Sir Mark Prescott, who won the Ebor with Hasten To Add in 1994. The pace-setter won impressively over a mile and a half at Epsom on Derby day but has to carry the best part of a stone more in weight today.

His run at York in May in the Jorvik Stakes, when he finished second last, was extremely disappointing but Prescott believes he is now back to his best.

Nothing stirs the York racegoers more than a local triumph on Ebor day and Malton's Richard Fahey, who has dominated the Knavesmire handicap scene in the last four years, would love to get his hands on this prize.

He's always put the John Smith's Cup at the top of his list of Knavesmire targets but there would be a huge celebration at Musley Bank if Demolition could come home in front.

The six-year-old has just sneaked into the race, at 20 and with bottom weight of eight stone, nine pounds. He has been a consistent performer this term – having a placed finish in his last three starts.

The question mark, and it's a big one, surrounds the trip. Demolition has never run beyond 1m 5f in 33 starts and he has never won even at that distance.

He has course form at York, however, having succeeded on good ground over a mile and a half 13 months ago and having run third in the John Smith's Cup last month.

He is also the tip of renowned racing expert Pricewise, who reckons his battling display in that race suggests the step up in trip might not be the issue it could be.

Elsewhere, Dangerous Midge could give Brian Meehan his second big York winner in two days, following Waiter's Dream's Acomb Stakes victory yesterday, while Hillview Boy and Elyaadi, a winner over the Ebor distance at Leopardstown, look to be strong contenders.

Ebor races are frequently written into folklore, this promises to be another to stir the memory for many years to come.