Ethical Diamond made Melbourne Cup favourite after Ebor but Mullins says he won't go

Ethical Diamond landed a mini gamble to round off a fine week at York for jockey Will Buick in the £500,000 Sky Bet Ebor.

Backed in to 5-1 favourite, as the original Willie Mullins number one Hipop De Loire went out in the betting, the stayer gave backers few worries by running out an easy winner.

The performance rounded off a great week for Buick, who thrilled the crowd on Ombudsman in the Juddmonte International and riding Godolphin ownermate Trawlerman in the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup.

After surging two-and-a-half lengths ahead of Ascending (12-1) and Queenstown (25-1) to spearhead an Irish-trained 1-2-3, Ethical Diamond was promoted to the top of Betfred's Melbourne Cup market at 8-1.

But Mullins said his horse, rated 140-plus over jumps having finished fourth in the 2025 County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, would not be going to Australia.

International runners have to pass stringent checks to line-up and in 2024, Aidan O'Brien's chief hope Jan Brueghel failed to get the green light.

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Mullins said: "He won't go to Australia. The protocols down there wouldn't suit him.

"He got a screw in a leg at one stage and anything with a screw is not allowed to run, I don’t think."

Mullins first tasted success in the Ebor with Sesenta in 2009 and Absurde, a horse sporting the same H O S Syndicate silks as Ethical Diamond, came home first a year ago.

“I’ve never won the Ebor before but I’ve never had a better ride in the Ebor either,” Buick said on ITV Racing. “He got a good trip and when I asked him to accelerate he was right there for me.”

Ethical Diamond's gave a £20,000 boost for the charity M.A.S.H (Military Assistance Social Hub) as they drew the winner in Sky Bet's Ebor charity draw.

Earlier, the newly-rated Group One City Of York Stakes was scooped by Never So Brave (7-2) who held on in an exciting four-horse finish.

Lake Forest (12-1) and Maranoa Charlie (9-1) were right there, along with Rosallion, the even money favourite.

The last-named thoroughbred had missed the Jacques le Marois in France last weekend due to a bruised foot but Richard Hannon was not making excuses.

"He didn't travel or pick up like he normally does. It was disappointing," he said.