Richard Fahey On York's Ebor Meeting

York is the most ambitious racecourse in the world. I say that without any qualification whatsoever, and everything you see on Knavesmire this week reflects that claim.

The prizemoney is superb. The £850,000 on offer for the Juddmonte International speaks for itself, but the York Race Committee have also thrown extra money at the Gimcrack in an attempt to upgrade that race, as well as the Lowther Stakes.

In addition to promoting the Ebor Meeting to owners and trainers, seeking out the best horses, they also do a superb job in catering for racegoers, whether they be in the County Stand or the public enclosures.

Having said all that, I must say that from a trainer's point of view, it is becoming increasingly hard to win a race at the meeting. It is so competitive. Everybody wants to have a winner there, and it seems to be getting tougher all round.

I have had some great moments at York. Wootton Bassett winning the DBS Premier Yearling Stakes, the 'sales race,' was my highlight. He was a brilliant two-year-old, finishing up his juvenile career unbeaten, and with a Group One notch on his belt after taking the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp several weeks after his York triumph.

The colt I train for Godolphin will not be running this week. Birchwood is being aimed instead at the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster or the National Stakes at the Curragh, both races being next month.

I thought he was a little unlucky at Goodwood, and he will get his chance to get back on the winning list before the season ends.

I have several runners at York this week, but forced to nominate three, I would pin-point the following:

Lathom (Thursday, DBS Premier Yearling Stakes), Constantino (Friday, Convivial Maiden Stakes) and Gabrial (Saturday, Strensall Stakes).

Lathom was a bit unlucky when fifth to Kachy in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood. He has multiple entries this week, but I am pleased with his progress and well-being.

I am particularly looking forward to Constantino making his racecourse debut in the Convivial Maiden.

He is a three-quarter brother to Amazing Maria, and one of four I have in training for Sir Robert Ogden.

This colt has the pedigree and the right temperament to make his mark. But unlike Amazing Maria, he is not grey in colour. He is bay.

Gabrial ran a brilliant race to finish third behind Solow and Arod in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and he has a realistic target in the Strensall. Dr Marwan Koukash, his owner, has plans to travel abroad with him later in the year.

I cannot wait for the Ebor meeting to begin. Let us hope it is as memorable as ever.

Richard Fahey trains at Malton, Yorkshire. He has held a licence since 1993 and has built up one of the biggest stables in the UK. In 2014, he trained 192 winners for prizemoney of £2.8m, placing him 4th on the British trainers list.