Betfred May Hill Stakes |
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| Group 2, Doncaster 15:00 £120,000 guaranteed, 2yo fillies only, 1m, Class 1  |
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1 Darnation 11/10F
2
See The Fire 4/1
3 Les Bleus 14/1
7 ran NR: Meribella, Zenjabeela
Distances: 3l, 4l, nk Time: 1m 41.38s (slow by 4.98s)
Darnation is a decisive winner of the @Betfred May Hill Stakes under @CliffordleexLee for @karl_burke @DoncasterRaces pic.twitter.com/7YBt9iTdN2 https://t.co/WWtHqf09FB via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) September 14, 2023
Darnation ran out a ready winner here, strengthening Karl Burke's grip on the juvenile fillies’ division.
Fallen Angel had already stated her case to be the leading two-year-old filly when impressing in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland last weekend.
Now it appears one of her biggest rivals for top honours may be based in the same Leyburn yard in North Yorkshire after Darnation’s price for next year’s 1000 Guineas was halved from 20s to 10-1 by QuinnBet.
Impressive in soft ground last time out in a Group Three at Goodwood, she had less questions to answer than most and when one of her market rivals, Ollie Sangster’s Romanova, got wound up going to post and ran keen in the early stages, there was one less to worry about.
See The Fire did follow Darnation through and looked a danger, but Clifford Lee was able to keep a bit up his sleeve and the 11-10 favourite bounded three lengths clear.
“They didn’t go quick and when I asked her, she quickened up really well for a few strides and then galloped on towards the line,” said Lee.
“She’s very good and I’d like to see her next year when she’s physically and mentally stronger.
“She handles that soft ground, she does stay very well and she does have a bit of boot about her as well, so we’ll see next year how we get on.”
Burke was not on track, but said: “She’s a classy filly, on that ground she’s very good. We’ll have to see how she is on quicker ground but she’s tough, she stays and she’s just very good.
“She’s not in the Fillies’ Mile but she is in the Prix Marcel Boussac. I haven’t spoken to the owners but she’d be more likely to get her ground in France.
“Who knows about next year? She’s not the biggest in the world, but she should strengthen up even if she doesn’t grow much and if she bumps into soft ground she could be anything.
“On fast ground Fallen Angel would be in front of her, but ground is the key to this filly.
“I was all set to come today but I had a busy morning and decided not to. They don’t run any faster for me being there!”
Betfred May Hill Stakes
(Fillies' Group 2) (Str)
£120,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Soft
1 (3) Darnation 2 9-2 K R Burke Clifford Lee 11/10F
2 (7) 3 See The Fire 2 9-2 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 4/1
3 (8) 4 Les Bleus 2 9-2 Richard Hughes Ryan Moore 14/1
4 (2) nk Hard To Resist 2 9-2 William Haggas Tom Marquand 11/2
5 (5) 4¾ Francophone 2 9-2 Charlie Johnston Joe Fanning 33/1
6 (4) 4 Hala Abrar 2 9-2 Gay Kelleway Sean Levey 66/1
7 (1) 6½ Romanova 2 9-2 Ollie Sangster William Buick 9/2
NR 6 (6) Meribella 2 9-2 Ralph Beckett NON RUNNER
NR 9 (9) Zenjabeela 2 9-2 Roger Varian NON RUNNER
RECENT WINNERS
Year Horse Trainer Jockey Owner SP
2022 Polly Pott
2021 Inspiral
2020 Indigo Girl
2019 Powerful Breeze
2018 Fleeting
2017 Laurens
2016 Rich Legacy R M Beckett Oisin Murphy Qatar Racing Limited 3/1
2015 Turret Rocks Jim Bolger Kevin Manning Mrs June Judd 7/2
2014 Agnes Stewart E Lynam W J Lee Clipper Logistics Group Ltd 11/4
2013 Ihtimal Saeed bin Suroor S De Sousa Godolphin 11/10 fav
2012 Certify Mahmood Al Zarooni Mickael Barzalona Godolphin 4/6 fav
2011 Lyric Of Light Mahmood Al Zarooni Frankie Dettori Godolphin 9/1
2010 White Moonstone Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 8/11 fav
2009 Pollenator Richard Hannon Ryan Moore The Royal Ascot Racing Club 14/1
2008 Rainbow View John Gosden Jimmy Fortune George Strawbridge 1/3 fav
2007 Spacious James Fanshawe Jamie Spencer Cheveley Park Stud 9/4 fav
2006 Simply Perfect Jeremy Noseda Darryll Holland Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, Sue Magnier 4/1
2005 Nasheej Richard Hannon Richard Hughes Malih L Al Basti 4/1
2004 Playful Act John Gosden Jimmy Fortune Sangster Family 8/1
2003 Kinnaird Patrick Haslam Kevin Darley Alastair Dinsmore 9/1
2002 Summitville James Given Michael Fenton Mountain High Partnership 11/2
2001 Half Glance Henry Cecil Richard Quinn Khalid Abdullah 5/2
2000 Karasta Sir Michael Stoute Johnny Murtagh H H Aga Khan 5/4 fav
1999 Teggiano Clive Brittain Frankie Dettori Abdullah Saeed Bul Hab 13/2
