You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2027 May Hill Stakes Preview
Run at the St Leger Festival at Doncaster racecourse in September of each year, the May Hill Stakes is open to two-year-old fillies only. The race was upgraded to a Group 2 in 2003 and is run over a straight one-mile course.
The Fillies' Mile double
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
May Hill Stakes Information:
Why not use the trends shortlist below to help you narrow down the field and then head over to the dedicated Doncaster tips page to see which runners are being supported by the OLBG expert racing tipsters to find yourself a bet? You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal races during the Doncaster St Leger Festival section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026 (UKGC Regulated)
How competitive is the May Hill Stakes market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2021, when the race had an over-round of 110%. The race in 2007 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 120%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the May Hill Stakes, the over-round has been 114%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £114 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 May Hill Stakes Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the May Hill Stakes Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run May Hill Stakes races over the last 20 renewals:
- Turret Rocks (1:36.82) in 2015
- Agnes Stewart (1:37.20) in 2014
- Desert Flower (1:37.47) in 2024
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the May Hill Stakes next time out, then you would have backed a total of 7 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +3.68. Before placing your bet on the 2027 May Hill Stakes, see which other runners today are being backed on the racing predictions page.
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 1:36.82 was set by Turret Rocks in 2015, trained by J S Bolger and ridden by Kevin Manning, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2013 when Ihtimal won in a time of 1:43.30 for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who booked Silvestre De Sousa in the saddle.
May Hill Stakes Past Winners
Here are the May Hill Stakes' past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. Also detailed are the stall from which the horse came and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the May Hill Stakes are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 1:37.58 | Musical Times (IRE) 2yo 9-2 (3 of 11) 7/4F | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2025 1:39.79 | Aylin (IRE) 2yo 9-2 (1 of 8) 5/1 | David Egan K R Burke (GB) |
| 2024 1:37.47 | Desert Flower (IRE) 2yo 9-2 (3 of 9) 1/1F | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2023 1:41.38 | Darnation (IRE) 2yo 9-2 (3 of 7) 11/10F | Clifford Lee K R Burke (GB) |
| 2022 1:38.34 | Polly Pott (GB) 2yo 9-2 (7 of 8) 40/1 | Daniel Tudhope Harry Dunlop (GB) |
| 2021 1:37.47 | Inspiral (GB) 2yo 9-0 (5 of 6) 2/9F | Frankie Dettori John & Thady Gosden (GB) |
| 2020 1:38.84 | Indigo Girl (GB) 2yo 9-0 (9 of 9) 100/30 | Frankie Dettori John Gosden (GB) |
| 2019 1:39.31 | Powerful Breeze (GB) 2yo 9-0 (1 of 9) 6/1 | James Doyle Hugo Palmer (GB) |
| 2018 1:38.71 | Fleeting (IRE) 2yo 9-0 (1 of 11) 12/1 | Donnacha O'Brien A P O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2017 1:40.06 | Laurens (FR) 2yo 9-0 (4 of 8) 11/4F | P J McDonald K R Burke (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the May Hill Stakes have been based:
- GB: 17 winners with an additional 30 placings from 148 runners
- IRE: 3 winners with an additional 3 placings from 18 runners
2026 May Hill Stakes Replay
May Hill Stakes Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the May Hill Stakes over the last 20 renewals is K R Burke, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from Laurens (2017), Darnation (2023) and Aylin (2025). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the May Hill Stakes are John Gosden (2 wins), Charlie Appleby (2 wins) and Saeed bin Suroor (2 wins).
Here are some of the top May Hill Stakes trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| K R Burke | 6-3-4 | +5.85 | +3.29 |
| John Gosden | 6-2-3 | -0.34 | -1.09 |
| Charlie Appleby | 5-2-5 | -0.25 | +2.51 |
| Saeed bin Suroor | 4-2-2 | -0.17 | -0.85 |
| A P O'Brien | 9-1-4 | +4.00 | +2.68 |
| J S Bolger | 4-1-1 | +0.50 | -0.90 |
| Ralph Beckett | 4-1-4 | +0.00 | +4.24 |
| Edward Lynam | 2-1-1 | +1.75 | +0.65 |
| John & Thady Gosden | 2-1-1 | -0.78 | -0.86 |
| Harry Dunlop | 1-1-1 | +40.00 | +24.00 |
May Hill Stakes Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the May Hill Stakes over the last 20 renewals is William Buick, who has won the race twice, with those two winners coming from Desert Flower (2024) and Musical Times (2026).
Here are some of the top May Hill Stakes jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Buick | 11-2-5 | -6.25 | -3.85 |
| Ryan Moore | 10-1-2 | +5.00 | +1.25 |
| James Doyle | 7-1-2 | +0.00 | -1.50 |
| Oisin Murphy | 7-1-4 | -3.00 | -0.95 |
| Jamie Spencer | 5-1-2 | -1.75 | -1.70 |
| Daniel Tudhope | 4-1-1 | +37.00 | +21.00 |
| Silvestre De Sousa | 3-1-1 | -0.90 | -1.31 |
| David Egan | 2-1-1 | +4.00 | +2.00 |
| P J McDonald | 2-1-2 | +1.75 | +2.00 |
| W J Lee | 2-1-1 | +1.75 | +0.65 |
2027 May Hill Stakes Trends
Favourites' finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 8, 6, 1, 7, 6, 3, 1, 7, 1, 1, 7, 1
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (64%) - Not on HY/GD/FM/STD-SLW/STD (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Ran over 7f - 1m (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Not on STD-SLW/STD (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Break of 11 - 83 days (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Carried 124 - 135lbs (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - In a field of 5 - 15 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Within the first 7 of the market
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Won by at least a neck (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Beaten no more -3l (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Had 1 - 3 wins (90 Days)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Achieved an RPR of 70+ (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Not in FRA/ITA/SCO/WAL (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - No bigger than 22/1 (Career Win)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Not in a G1/Cl2 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Break of 11 - 70 days (Last Place)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Doncaster racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the May Hill Stakes. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the May Hill Stakes by adding a tip on the race here.
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2027 May Hill Stakes Runners & Shortlist
The runners and the final trends shortlist for the 2027 renewal of the May Hill Stakes will be added once the final declarations are confirmed, which are usually 48 hours before the race.
May Hill Stakes Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +32.49, is when runners ran on Good To Firm ground when last winning.
❌ The worst-performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran on Good ground last time out; when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-46.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2026: Winner in 3 (11,7) [11 Runners]
- 2025: Winner in 1 (5,3) [8 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 3 (5,2) [9 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 3 (7) [7 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 7 (3,1) [8 Runners]
The course which has produced the most winners of the May Hill Stakes is Newmarket (July); there have been a total of 8 winners of this race who ran at Newmarket (July) last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Goodwood; there have been a total of 3 winners of this race who ran at Goodwood last time out.
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the May Hill Stakes; that stallion, Dynaformer, has produced 2 winners (2010,2008).
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have been disappointed with multiple attempts but no wins in the May Hill Stakes; that stallion is Galileo, who has failed to produce a winner from 5 runners.
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Polly Pott in 2022, winning for Harry Dunlop at odds of 40/1 under the guidance of Daniel Tudhope. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 10 winning favourites in the race. Remember to use the best racing tipsters along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2027 May Hill Stakes.
Route to the May Hill Stakes
Many trainers target races as preparation for the May Hill Stakes. These are the races in which the recent winners ran before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Musical Times Yarmouth - 1st of 5 (1/5) | Weatherbys Racing Bank Fillies Novice Stakes |
| 2025 - Aylin Goodwood - 3rd of 7 (15/2) | Virgin Bet Prestige Fillies Stakes |
| 2024 - Desert Flower Newmarket (July) - 1st of 6 (1/4) | Turners EBF Fillies Novice Stakes |
| 2023 - Darnation Goodwood - 1st of 6 (5/2) | William Hill Prestige Fillies Stakes |
| 2022 - Polly Pott Salisbury - 1st of 6 (7/2) | Tuck Box Fresh By Nature Nursery Handicap |
| 2021 - Inspiral Sandown - 1st of 9 (1/1) | British Stallion Studs EBF Star Stakes |
| 2020 - Indigo Girl Yarmouth - 1st of 5 (10/3) | British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies Novice Stakes |
| 2019 - Powerful Breeze Newmarket (July) - 1st of 8 (20/1) | C J Murfitt Ltd Fillies Novice Stakes |
| 2018 - Fleeting Curragh - 3rd of 8 (20/1) | Flame Of Tara Irish EBF Stakes |
| 2017 - Laurens Deauville - 2nd of 11 (42/5) | Shadwell Prix du Calvados |
Principal races during the Doncaster St Leger Festival
Here is the schedule for the four-day St Leger Festival races, which we cover with blogs. Each race will be linked to the race blog and will detail last year's winner in the table below.
Thursday at St Leger Festival
There are a couple of Group 2s which take centre stage on the opening day of the St Leger Festival: the May Hill Stakes, where the two-year-olds feature and then the Park Hill Fillies Stakes, where the older fillies compete. We also have the 2-y-o Stakes, a valuable Class Two race.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Carrie Red Fillies Nursery | Speed Of Sound (IRE) 2yo - 7/4 | Richard Spencer Saffie Osborne |
| Doncaster 2yo Stakes | Night In Vegas (IRE) 2yo - 5/6 | Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop |
| May Hill Stakes | Musical Times (IRE) 2yo - 7/4 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
| Park Hill Stakes | Waardah (IRE) 4yo - 5/2 | Owen Burrows Callum Rodriguez |
| St Leger Festival Middle Distance Handicap | Devils Peak (GB) 3yo - 15/8 | John & Thady Gosden William Buick |
Friday at St Leger Festival
On Friday, the feature race of the day is the Group 2 Doncaster Cup, which is part of the British Champion Series. The Flying Childers Stakes is another race on Friday, which carries a decent purse on offer for the two-year-olds.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Doncaster Cup | Caballo De Mar (IRE) 5yo - 5/6 | George Scott Oisin Murphy |
| Flying Childers Stakes | Final Objective (IRE) 2yo - 9/4 | Hamad Al Jehani James Doyle |
| Flying Scotsman Stakes | Forbidden Fire (GB) 2yo - 9/2 | Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy |
Saturday at St Leger Festival
The feature race of the festival, the Group 1 St Leger, takes place on Saturday, another race which is part of the British Champion Series. The three races before the St Leger all carry decent purses too: the Champagne Stakes, the Portland and the Park Stakes.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Champagne Stakes | Desert Castle (GB) 2yo - 1/1 | Charlie Appleby Billy Loughnane |
| Park Stakes | More Thunder (IRE) 5yo - 4/5 | William Haggas Tom Marquand |
| Portland Heritage Handicap | Air Force One (IRE) 5yo - 11/2 | Geoff Oldroyd Clifford Lee |
| St Leger | Highwayman (FR) 3yo - 11/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien Saffie Osborne |
| St Leger Festival Mile Handicap | Scoville (GB) 4yo - 5/1 | William Haggas Daniel Tudhope |
| St Leger Festival Ten Furlong Handicap | Thunder Run (IRE) 5yo - 11/4 | K R Burke Clifford Lee |
Sunday at St Leger Festival
Sunday is a bit more low-key, with only one class one race, which is the Sceptre Stakes for the fillies over 7f, and there are also some decent handicaps carrying good purses.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| City of Doncaster Handicap | Inishbeg (IRE) 3yo - 33/1 | Kevin Ryan Jack Nicholls |
| Mallard Handicap | Valedictory (GB) 4yo - 7/4 | John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin |
| Sceptre Stakes | Pina Sonata (GB) 4yo - 12/1 | James Fanshawe Daniel Muscutt |
| St Leger Festival Sprint Handicap | Blue Brother (FR) 5yo - 5/2 | Hamad Al Jehani Callum Rodriguez |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this May Hill Stakes Preview are Andy and James. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for Flat racing.
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