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 Sceptre Stakes Preview
Run during the St Leger Festival in September of each year at Doncaster, the Sceptre Stakes, which is named after the filly Sceptre, a winner of four classics, including the St Leger, is a Group 3 race, having been upgraded in 2011 for fillies and mares who are aged three or older and is run over a straight seven furlongs and six yards.
Young fillies at a price
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Sceptre 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 Sceptre Stakes market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2016, when the race had an over-round of 109%. The race in 2026 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 130%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Sceptre Stakes, the over-round has been 120%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £120 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 Sceptre 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 Sceptre Stakes Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Sceptre Stakes races over the last 20 renewals:
- Fantasia (1:22.69) in 2009
- Kiyoshi (1:22.74) in 2014
- Just Beautiful (1:22.75) in 2021
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 Sceptre Stakes next time out, then you would have backed a total of 3 winners. Backing all 17 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -8.45. Remember to bookmark the racing tips page to access the OLBG racing picks easily daily.
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 1:22.69 was set by Fantasia in 2009, trained by Luca Cumani and ridden by Kieren Fallon, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2008 when Royal Confidence won in a time of 1:28.66 for trainer B W Hills, who booked Michael Hills in the saddle.
Sceptre Stakes Past Winners
Here are the Sceptre 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 Sceptre Stakes are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 1:22.82 | Pina Sonata (GB) 4yo 9-4 (7 of 19) 12/1 | Daniel Muscutt James Fanshawe (GB) |
| 2025 1:24.63 | Fair Angellica (GB) 4yo 9-4 (6 of 18) 11/1 | Finley Marsh Richard Hughes (GB) |
| 2024 1:26.22 | Great Generation (IRE) 3yo 9-3 (8 of 11) 8/1 | Marco Ghiani Marco Botti (GB) |
| 2023 1:23.48 | Matilda Picotte (IRE) 3yo 9-1 (5 of 10) 6/1 | Oisin Murphy Kieran P Cotter (IRE) |
| 2022 1:24.57 | Bounce The Blues (IRE) 5yo 9-4 (5 of 11) 5/1 | William Buick Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2021 1:22.75 | Just Beautiful (GB) 3yo 8-12 (1 of 12) 11/4F | Silvestre De Sousa Ivan Furtado (GB) |
| 2020 1:24.47 | Foxtrot Lady (GB) 5yo 9-2 (13 of 15) 18/1 | Frankie Dettori Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2019 1:23.40 | Breathtaking Look (GB) 4yo 9-2 (12 of 13) 20/1 | Jim Crowley Stuart Williams (GB) |
| 2018 1:25.26 | Dancing Star (GB) 5yo 9-2 (4 of 9) 7/2 | Oisin Murphy Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2017 1:24.72 | Music Box (IRE) 3yo 8-12 (6 of 13) 8/1 | Ryan Moore A P O'Brien (IRE) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Sceptre Stakes have been based:
- GB: 17 winners with an additional 38 placings from 237 runners
- IRE: 3 winners with an additional 1 placing from 18 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 3 runners
- GER: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
- SPA: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
Sceptre Stakes Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Sceptre Stakes over the last 20 renewals is Andrew Balding, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from Dancing Star (2018), Foxtrot Lady (2020) and Bounce The Blues (2022). The only other trainer to have recorded multiple wins in the Sceptre Stakes is Roger Varian (2 wins). Two trainers have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the Sceptre Stakes. Ralph Beckett has sent a total of 12 runners to the race without recording any wins, whilst Richard Hannon has sent out 10 without a winner.
Here are some of the top Sceptre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Balding | 9-3-5 | +20.50 | +13.35 |
| Roger Varian | 9-2-4 | +32.00 | +16.60 |
| William Haggas | 13-1-2 | -8.00 | -8.45 |
| Marco Botti | 10-1-4 | -1.00 | +2.00 |
| Peter Chapple-Hyam | 3-1-1 | +20.00 | +9.00 |
| James Fanshawe | 3-1-2 | +10.00 | +5.90 |
| A P O'Brien | 3-1-1 | +6.00 | +2.80 |
| Charles Hills | 2-1-1 | +10.00 | +5.60 |
| Richard Hughes | 2-1-1 | +10.00 | +4.50 |
| Stuart Williams | 1-1-1 | +20.00 | +12.00 |
Sceptre Stakes Jockey Statistics
There are multiple leading jockeys in the Sceptre Stakes over the last 20 renewals, with Ryan Moore, Jamie Spencer, Andrea Atzeni, and Oisin Murphy having all won the race twice. Ryan Moore winners have been with Medley (2007) and Music Box (2017). Jamie Spencer winners have been with Sunday Times (2012) and Kiyoshi (2014). Andrea Atzeni's winners have been with Nargys (2013) and Spangled (2016). Oisin Murphy winners have been with Dancing Star (2018) and Matilda Picotte (2023).
Here are some of the top Sceptre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Moore | 12-2-2 | +12.00 | +3.20 |
| Jamie Spencer | 9-2-3 | +26.00 | +12.70 |
| Andrea Atzeni | 7-2-4 | +17.00 | +10.90 |
| Oisin Murphy | 6-2-2 | +5.50 | +1.70 |
| William Buick | 13-1-4 | -7.00 | -4.00 |
| Silvestre De Sousa | 6-1-1 | -2.25 | -3.35 |
| Jack Mitchell | 4-1-2 | +22.00 | +10.33 |
| Daniel Muscutt | 2-1-1 | +11.00 | +5.00 |
| Finley Marsh | 2-1-1 | +10.00 | +4.50 |
| Marco Ghiani | 2-1-1 | +7.00 | +3.80 |
2027 Sceptre Stakes Trends
Favourites' finishing positions (oldest to latest): 4, 4, 1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 2, 4, 7, 4, 5, 10, 2, 1, 9, 4, 2, 12, 4
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 (65%) - Achieved a TS of 79+ (Season)
- 20 / 20 (74%) - No bigger than 25/1
- 20 / 20 (74%) - Achieved a TS of 82+ (Career)
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Held an OR of 92+ (Season)
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Dam is not AUS/FR/ITY/SAF/USA bred
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Ran in 4 - 15 races (1 Year)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Ran in 3 - 15 races (180 Days)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Achieved an RPR of 96+ (Last 5)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - In a field of 8 - 20 (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Ran in 3 - 15 races (Season)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Within the first 12 of the market
- 20 / 20 (87%) - No bigger than 25/1 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Not on HY/FM/STD (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Achieved a TS of 67+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Had 2 - 10 placings (Non-Hcps)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Doncaster racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Sceptre 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 Sceptre Stakes by adding a tip on the race here.
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2027 Sceptre Stakes Runners & Shortlist
The runners and the final trends shortlist for the 2027 renewal of the Sceptre Stakes will be added once the final declarations are confirmed, which are usually made 48 hours before the race.
Sceptre Stakes Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +41.08, 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 carried 126lbs; 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 7 (16,13) [19 Runners]
- 2025: Winner in 6 (17,1) [18 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 8 (9,2) [11 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 5 (10,4) [10 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 5 (11,3) [11 Runners]
The courses that have produced the most winners of the Sceptre Stakes are Deauville and Tipperary; there have been a total of 3 winners from each of those courses.
Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Sceptre Stakes; that stallion, Holy Roman Emperor, has produced 2 winners (2024,2012).
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Sceptre Stakes despite multiple attempts:
- Kodiac (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Pivotal (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Shamardal (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Lope De Vega (0 Wins from 7 runners)
- Oasis Dream (0 Wins from 5 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Realtra in 2015, winning for Roger Varian at odds of 25/1 under the guidance of Jack Mitchell. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 3 winning favourites in the race. Whilst we wait for the 2027 Sceptre Stakes, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the top racing tipsters on the best racing tipsters page.
Route to the Sceptre Stakes
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Sceptre Stakes. These are the races in which the recent winners ran before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Pina Sonata Ascot - 5th of 8 (11/1) | Longines Valiant Stakes |
| 2025 - Fair Angellica Newbury - 5th of 10 (25/1) | Hungerford Stakes |
| 2024 - Great Generation Deauville - 15th of 15 (23/1) | Prix Maurice de Gheest |
| 2023 - Matilda Picotte Tipperary - 2nd of 10 (4/1) | Coolmore Stud No Nay Never Fairy Bridge Stakes |
| 2022 - Bounce The Blues Sandown - 5th of 11 (10/1) | JRL Group Atalanta Stakes |
| 2021 - Just Beautiful Deauville - 2nd of 7 (17/10) | Prix de Lieurey |
| 2020 - Foxtrot Lady Haydock - 5th of 9 (14/1) | BetVictor British EBF Dick Hern Stakes |
| 2019 - Breathtaking Look York - 5th of 19 (16/1) | Ebor Fillies Heritage Handicap |
| 2018 - Dancing Star Goodwood - 2nd of 16 (7/1) | Oak Tree Stakes |
| 2017 - Music Box Tipperary - 3rd of 12 (9/4) | Coolmore Stud Fairy Bridge Stakes |
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 Sceptre 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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