September Stakes Betting

As the home of quality horse racing all year round, Kempton Park hosts Jump racing from October to April and afternoon and evening Flat racing every month on the all-weather track. One of the most highly rated of all fixtures here is the totesport.com Ladies’ Day. It is conducted on a Saturday afternoon in early September, featuring spectacular prizes in its “Fashion on the Field” competitions. The day’s racecard also offers both of Kempton’s only two Group-level conditions races: the Sirenia Stakes and September Stakes.

The latter of the pair is a £65,000 Group 3 event, covering a distance of one mile and four furlongs on the right-handed Polytrack surface. The September Stakes is open to Thoroughbreds aged three years and upwards, with the younger runners carrying eight stone nine pounds apiece, while those aged four years and upwards must each bear nine-stone-four.

There is an allowance of three pounds for fillies and mares. Penalties are applied to entries successful in previous races since 28th February, amounting to seven pounds for Group 1 winners, five pounds for Group 2 winners and three pounds for Group 3 winners.

When the September Stakes was first held in 1979, it was run on turf as a Listed race over a distance of one mile, three furlongs and 30 yards. The race was promoted to Group 3 status in 1982. One of its earliest sponsors was BonusPrint, who held the title role through 1996.

In 1997, several changes came about for the September Stakes. First, Grosvenor Casinos came on board as the sponsor. Then, the venue was switched to Epsom Downs, where the distance was extended by about 200 yards. There the race remained through 1999, when Victor Chandler became the race’s main backer.

In 2000, the September Stakes returned to Kempton Park under the sponsorship of Milcars. They remained the title holder until Coral took over in 2003, followed by Pentax UK and 32red.com. The 2005 edition was run at Newmarket, while renovations tool place at Kempton Park. In 2006, the race returned to the new all-weather track and Tote became the primary sponsor, using the title to promote its totepool and totesport.com brands ever since.

The only horse to ever win twice here was Mutamam. The bay stallion got his victories back-to-back in 2000-01, en route to a career record of eleven wins, two seconds and one third in 21 total starts.

Mutamam was schooled by Alec Stewart, one of three trainers to accumulate four victories at the September Stakes. Stewart’s other two came with Wagon Master in 1994 and Maylane in 1997. He was followed by trainer Geoff Wragg, whose four wins were with Percy’s Lass in 1988, Young Buster in 1991, Jeune in 1992 and Asian Heights in 2002. Then came Sir Michael Stoute with Shernazar in 1985, Dihistan in 1986, Sacrament in 1996 and Imperial Stride in 2005

Among jockeys, two riders have managed four wins apiece here. Walter Swinburn got his first aboard Shernazar and soon added wins on Dihistan, Young Buster and Sacrament. Right behind him was Richard Hills, who rode Mutamam to his first success and then claimed victory atop Mubtaker in 2003 as well as Imperial Stride. Laheeb gave Hills his most recent victory in 2010.

When the bookmakers choose a favourite for the September Stakes, it can certainly pay to listen to their advice. Since the turn of the new millennium, they had Mutamam correct on both occasions at 5/2 and 4/6, respectively. They were also right about Asian Heights at 5/4, Mubtaker at 8/13 and Imperial Stride at 11/8. Their latest spot-on forecast was in 2009, when Ireland’s Kirklees delivered at odds of 7/4.

The only big mistake the bookmakers have made here in the past decade was in 2008. They had Many Volumes and galactic Star as the joint favourites at 5/2, but neither one finished in the top three. Instead, Hattan stole the day at odds of 16/1, trailed by Illustrious Blue at 33/1 and Mourilyan at 12/1. It was a complete blowout and a huge payday for bettors at long odds.

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