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2027 Melrose Heritage Handicap Preview
The Melrose Stakes is a heritage handicap that features on the final day of the York Ebor Festival, which is run in August of each year. The race features on the same day as the Ebor Handicap.
This Class 2 race is open to three-year-old runners only and is run over one mile, five furlongs and one hundred and eighty-eight yards.
Out of the Goodwood handicap
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Melrose Heritage Handicap Information:
- Melrose Heritage Handicap Past Winners
- Melrose Heritage Handicap Trainer Statistics
- Melrose Heritage Handicap Jockey Statistics
To see which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are tipping throughout the card that includes this race, head over to the York tips on the day of the race. Do they agree with the runners on the trend shortlist, or are they predicting other runners? You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal Races at York Racecourse section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026 (UKGC Regulated)
How competitive is the Melrose Heritage Handicap market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 19 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2013, when the race had an over-round of 115%. The race in 2017 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 133%, whilst on average over the last 19 renewals of the Melrose Heritage Handicap, the over-round has been 126%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £126 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 Melrose Heritage Handicap 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 Melrose Heritage Handicap Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Melrose Heritage Handicap races over the last 19 renewals:
- Ghostwatch (2:53.87) in 2018
- Soulcombe (2:55.85) in 2022
- Hamish (2:56.08) in 2019
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 19 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Melrose Heritage Handicap next time out, then you would have backed a total of 5 winners. Backing all 18 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -2.62. Remember to bookmark the racing tips page to access the OLBG racing picks easily daily.
When looking over the past 19 renewals, a time of 2:53.87 was set by Ghostwatch in 2018, trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2020 when Coltrane won in a time of 3:02.77 for trainer Andrew Balding, who booked Oisin Murphy in the saddle.
Melrose Heritage Handicap Past Winners
Here are the Melrose Heritage Handicap 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 Melrose Heritage Handicap are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 3:01.42 | Infraad (IRE) 3yo 9-1 (4 of 17) 100/30F | Tom Marquand William Haggas (GB) |
| 2025 2:59.71 | Tarriance (GB) 3yo 9-9 (12 of 12) 5/1 | Colin Keane Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2024 2:57.85 | Tabletalk (IRE) 3yo 9-3 (4 of 16) 12/1 | Rossa Ryan Tom Clover (GB) |
| 2023 2:56.63 | Middle Earth (GB) 3yo 9-3 (9 of 13) 9/2F | Oisin Murphy John & Thady Gosden (GB) |
| 2022 2:55.85 | Soulcombe (GB) 3yo 8-4 (11 of 13) 3/1F | Hollie Doyle William Haggas (GB) |
| 2021 2:56.50 | Valley Forge (GB) 3yo 8-8 (16 of 22) 10/1 | David Probert Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2020 3:02.77 | Coltrane (IRE) 3yo 8-8 (8 of 14) 12/1 | Oisin Murphy Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2019 2:56.08 | Hamish (GB) 3yo 9-3 (6 of 12) 7/1 | James Doyle William Haggas (GB) |
| 2018 2:53.87 | Ghostwatch (IRE) 3yo 8-13 (1 of 16) 10/1 | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2017 2:57.27 | Secret Advisor (FR) 3yo 9-2 (13 of 19) 5/1F | James Doyle Charlie Appleby (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Melrose Heritage Handicap have been based:
- GB: 18 winners with an additional 43 placings from 273 runners
- IRE: 1 winner with an additional 6 placings from 21 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
- HK: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
2026 Melrose Heritage Handicap Replay
Melrose Heritage Handicap Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Melrose Heritage Handicap over the last 19 renewals is William Haggas, who has won the race four times, with those four winners coming from Guarantee (2012), Hamish (2019), Soulcombe (2022) and Infraad (2026). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Melrose Heritage Handicap are Andrew Balding (3 wins) and Charlie Appleby (2 wins). Multiple trainers have not had the best of times over the last 19 renewals in the Melrose Heritage Handicap. Michael Bell (0-13), Ralph Beckett (0-12) and Sir Michael Stoute (0-11) have all failed to produce a single winner despite sending multiple runners to the race.
Here are some of the top Melrose Heritage Handicap trainer statistics over the last 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Haggas | 14-4-5 | +12.33 | +5.03 |
| Andrew Balding | 23-3-8 | +7.00 | +9.13 |
| Charlie Appleby | 6-2-2 | +11.00 | +5.38 |
| Hughie Morrison | 8-1-2 | +9.00 | +4.13 |
| John & Thady Gosden | 5-1-1 | +0.50 | -1.19 |
| Hugo Palmer | 4-1-2 | +13.00 | +8.63 |
| Tom Clover | 1-1-1 | +12.00 | +7.50 |
| A J Martin | 1-1-1 | +8.00 | +4.80 |
| Michael Bell | 13-0-3 | -13.00 | -3.37 |
| Ralph Beckett | 12-0-2 | -12.00 | -5.50 |
Melrose Heritage Handicap Jockey Statistics
There are multiple leading jockeys in the Melrose Heritage Handicap over the last 19 renewals, with William Buick, Oisin Murphy, and James Doyle having all won the race twice. William Buick's winners have been with Wall Of Fire (2016) and Ghostwatch (2018). Oisin Murphy winners have been with Coltrane (2020) and Middle Earth (2023). James Doyle winners have been with Secret Advisor (2017) and Hamish (2019). There is one jockey who has not had the best of times in the Melrose Heritage Handicap; Silvestre De Sousa has ridden 10 runners in the race without recording any wins.
Here are some of the top Melrose Heritage Handicap jockey statistics over the last 19 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 | 10-2-5 | +18.00 | +15.63 |
| Oisin Murphy | 7-2-4 | +11.50 | +7.62 |
| James Doyle | 6-2-3 | +8.00 | +7.51 |
| David Probert | 8-1-3 | +3.00 | +3.25 |
| Tom Marquand | 8-1-2 | -3.67 | -3.86 |
| Jamie Spencer | 7-1-5 | -2.00 | +3.38 |
| Richard Kingscote | 4-1-2 | +13.00 | +10.00 |
| Hollie Doyle | 4-1-1 | +0.00 | -1.12 |
| Liam Jones | 2-1-1 | +27.00 | +16.50 |
| Rossa Ryan | 2-1-2 | +11.00 | +8.00 |
2027 Melrose Heritage Handicap Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, (4, 6), (1, 4, 10, 14), 9, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 1, 4, 2, 11, 4, 1, (1, 4), 12, 2, (1, 5)
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.
- 19 / 19 (73%) - Off a break of 14 - 44 days
- 19 / 19 (75%) - Break of 14 - 73 days (Last Place)
- 19 / 19 (75%) - Carried 124 - 134lbs (Last Win)
- 19 / 19 (77%) - Not in a G1-2/LST/Cl4 (LTO)
- 19 / 19 (77%) - Break of 14 - 118 days (Last Win)
- 19 / 19 (83%) - Furthest ran 1m2f - 1m6f
- 19 / 19 (84%) - Held an OR of 83+
- 19 / 19 (85%) - No bigger than 28/1
- 19 / 19 (85%) - Had 1 - 3 wins (Season)
- 19 / 19 (87%) - No bigger than 22/1 (Career Place)
- 19 / 19 (87%) - In a field of 5 - 16 (LTO)
- 19 / 19 (88%) - Not BL/BR/GR/RG in colour
- 19 / 19 (88%) - Furthest Won 1m - 1m6f
- 19 / 19 (89%) - No bigger than 12/1 (Career Win)
- 19 / 19 (89%) - Ran in 2 - 9 races (90 Days)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the York racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Melrose Heritage Handicap. 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 Melrose Heritage Handicap by adding a tip on the race here.
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2027 Melrose Heritage Handicap Runners & Shortlist
The runners and the final trends shortlist for the 2027 renewal of the Melrose Heritage Handicap will be added once the final declarations are confirmed, which are usually 48 hours before the race.
Melrose Heritage Handicap Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +8.33, is when runners had 2 wins in the past 180 days.
❌ The worst-performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran in a Class 4 last time out; when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-62.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2026: Winner in 4 (9,7,15) [17 Runners]
- 2025: Winner in 12 (8,10) [12 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 4 (12,2,13) [16 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 9 (7,4) [13 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 11 (13,8) [13 Runners]
The course which has produced the most winners of the Melrose Heritage Handicap is Goodwood; there have been a total of 6 winners of this race who ran at Goodwood last time out. The next best courses, which have produced the second most winners, are Ascot and Newmarket (July); there have been a total of 3 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 18 winners from a total of 276 runners, while female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 20 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Melrose Heritage Handicap:
- Dubawi (2 Wins)
- Frankel (2 Wins)
- Montjeu (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Melrose Heritage Handicap despite multiple attempts:
- Galileo (0 Wins from 18 runners)
- Sea The Stars (0 Wins from 11 runners)
- Golden Horn (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Teofilo (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Hernando (0 Wins from 7 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 19 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Polarisation in 2015, winning for Mark Johnston at odds of 28/1 under the guidance of Liam Jones. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 19 renewals, there have been 6 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 Melrose Heritage Handicap.
Route to the Melrose Heritage Handicap
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Melrose Heritage Handicap. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Infraad Goodwood - 1st of 8 (2/1) | Glorious Goodwood 1m4f Handicap |
| 2025 - Tarriance Sandown - 1st of 6 (5/2) | George Lindon-Travers Memorial Handicap |
| 2024 - Tabletalk Ascot - 3rd of 8 (8/1) | John Guest Racing Handicap |
| 2023 - Middle Earth Newmarket (July) - 1st of 7 (3/1) | British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes |
| 2022 - Soulcombe Goodwood - 4th of 13 (9/2) | Glorious Goodwood 1m4f Handicap |
| 2021 - Valley Forge Ffos Las - 1st of 5 (4/11) | vickers.bet Bet 10Get20 Promo Code Ffos Las Maiden Stakes |
| 2020 - Coltrane Newmarket (July) - DSQ of 6 (8/15) | Read Andrew Balding On Betway Insider Handicap |
| 2019 - Hamish Newbury - 3rd of 11 (4/7) | Kennet Centre Novice Stakes |
| 2018 - Ghostwatch Sandown - 2nd of 5 (10/11) | Sri Lanka The Wonder Of Asia Handicap |
| 2017 - Secret Advisor Goodwood - 5th of 14 (5/1) | Glorious Goodwood 1m4f Handicap |
Other Principal races during the York Ebor Festival
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Melrose Heritage Handicap. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Infraad Goodwood - 1st of 8 (2/1) | Glorious Goodwood 1m4f Handicap |
| 2025 - Tarriance Sandown - 1st of 6 (5/2) | George Lindon-Travers Memorial Handicap |
| 2024 - Tabletalk Ascot - 3rd of 8 (8/1) | John Guest Racing Handicap |
| 2023 - Middle Earth Newmarket (July) - 1st of 7 (3/1) | British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes |
| 2022 - Soulcombe Goodwood - 4th of 13 (9/2) | Glorious Goodwood 1m4f Handicap |
| 2021 - Valley Forge Ffos Las - 1st of 5 (4/11) | vickers.bet Bet 10Get20 Promo Code Ffos Las Maiden Stakes |
| 2020 - Coltrane Newmarket (July) - DSQ of 6 (8/15) | Read Andrew Balding On Betway Insider Handicap |
| 2019 - Hamish Newbury - 3rd of 11 (4/7) | Kennet Centre Novice Stakes |
| 2018 - Ghostwatch Sandown - 2nd of 5 (10/11) | Sri Lanka The Wonder Of Asia Handicap |
| 2017 - Secret Advisor Goodwood - 5th of 14 (5/1) | Glorious Goodwood 1m4f Handicap |
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 Melrose Heritage Handicap 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.
James Banting
Content Editor
Andy Powell
Content Editor
Other Principal Races at York Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the York racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
Races in May (Dante Festival)
- Churchill Tyres Handicap
- Jorvik Stakes
- Minster Stakes
- Musidora Stakes
- Dante Stakes
- Hambleton Stakes
- Lindum York Handicap
- Middleton Stakes
- Westow Stakes
- Macmillan Charity Handicap
- Marygate Fillies Stakes
- Michael Seely Memorial Fillies Stakes
- Yorkshire Cup
