Tuesday 8th September 2026 – The opening day of the four-day Betfred St Leger Festival kicks off with a top-class eight-race card this Thursday, where the Betfred Park Hill Stakes (G2) is the feature race of the day.
Nine runners have been declared for the £165,000 Group 2 contest including Waardah, whose connections landed this prize back in 2024 with Nakheel.
Group 1 winner Consent was a ready winner of the Qatar Prix de Royallieu (G1) last year, with that victory coming one start after she finished runner-up in this race. She hasn’t been able to show her best in two starts this season, but it would be foolish to dismiss her completely on the strength of what she achieved at this stage of last season.
Danielle won at this track at the end of last season and could look to enhance the already impressive record her stable holds in the Park Hill Stakes. The Gosdens have won the race five times in the past, most recently with Free Wind (2021) and Mimikyu (2022).
Fairy Glen’s winning run came to an end when she was last seen finishing fifth in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (Group 1) in May. She has been given a break since then, has her sights lowered slightly in this race, and goes well fresh.
Aidan O’Brien’s sole representative in the race will be Cameo who was a decisive winner of the William Hill Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes (Listed), when Prizeland was almost five lengths back in second.
The aforementioned Prizeland has fared better than her Lingfield conqueror since. Both 3-year-old fillies will receive weight from each of their seven rivals in this contest.
Johnny Murtagh’s Floresta finished fifth in last year’s renewal of this race. She returns to Town Moor this Thursday as she looks to give her trainer a first winner at Doncaster Racecourse.
She will be joined by fellow Irish raider, Nyra, who has been consistent without winning since joining Joseph O’Brien from Waldemar Hickst.
The nine-strong field is completed by Ryka who steps up to 1m6f for the first time for trainer David O’Meara.
The Betfred May Hill Stakes (G2), worth £125,000, has been won by some class fillies in recent years such as Group 1 winners Inspiral (2021) and Desert Flower (2024).
Eleven fillies have been declared for this year’s renewal, as Godolphin’s Musical Times will look to preserve her unbeaten record for William Buick and Charlie Appleby.
This is a competitive renewal of this Group 2 contest, with Joseph O’Brien declaring Ballyskeagh, who was narrowly denied by Sea Of Rain when the pair clashed in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes (G3) at the Curragh last month.
Beguiled steps up to Group class for the first time after she justified short odds to shed her maiden tag at the second attempt on her latest start.
Seventeen runners will go to post for the Weatherbys £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes, with the betting currently headed by Eve Johnson-Houghton’s Night In Vegas, who won a similar sales race at Newmarket recently.
The first race of the day is the British Stallion Studs ‘Carrie Red’ EBF Fillies’ Nursery Handicap at 1:15pm. The eight-race card will draw to a close with the Pertemps Handicap at 5:20pm.
