Summer Mile Stakes Betting

On a Saturday in early July each year, Ascot welcomes some of the best milers in the country to Summer Mile Raceday. The centrepiece of this weekend fixture is the £100,000 Group 2 Summer Mile Stakes, which provides runners from the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June to strut their stuff before the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in August, both of which are now part of the QIPCO British Championship Series.

This flat horse race is conducted on the right-handed turf of Ascot Racecourse over a distance of exactly one mile. It is open to all Thoroughbreds aged four years and older, and each entry carries nine stone and one pound to the starting post. An allowance of three pounds is given to fillies and mares, while penalties are applied to winners of Group 1 or Group 2 races held since 1st November of the previous year, amounting to five pounds and three pounds, respectively.

The inaugural running was at Lingfield Park as a Listed event called the Silver Trophy Stakes. That race, which covered seven furlongs and 140 yards, was open to any horse aged three or upwards. In 1993, it was conducted as a handicap event and remained so until 1998. A year later, the venue was changed to Ascot and the length was extended to a full mile.

While the Tote was sponsoring the race in the late 1980s, it was briefly known as the Bet With Tote Trophy. More than few sponsors had their name associated with the title in the 1990s, including Krug Champagne, Calor, Champagne Jacquart, Center Parcs and Daily Mail Classified.

From 1999 to 2004, Michael Page International was the primary backer and saw the race promoted to Group 3 status in 2003 as the age minimum was raised to four. ladbrokes, who were next to sponsor the event, saw additional changes, as the race returned to Lingfield for the 2005 edition and became Britain’s first Group race run on Polytrack. The following year, the event came into its current Summer Mile name when reclassified at the Group 2 level.

From 2007, the Summer Mile Stakes returned to Ascot with Sony as its new sponsor. Plymouth Gin was the backer in 2008, and the current sponsor, totesport.com, came on the scene in 2009, bringing the business side of the race full circle.

Only one horse ever won here twice. That was Green Line Express in 1990-91. Similarly, only one jockey leads all others with three Summer Mile Stakes victories. That’s Richard Hughes with success atop Fizzed in 1998, Wallace in 1999 and Tillerman in 2003.

Among trainers, three have a pair of wins apiece. Mohammed Moubarak got both of his with Green Line Express. Guy Harwood got his first with Warning in 1988 and then followed up with Thourios in 1992. Most recently, Richard Hannon accomplished the feat with Wallace in 1999 and Cape Town in 2001.

A variety of ages have been represented in the winner’s compound in the eight years since three-year-olds were excluded from running. Three victors have been age four, two age five, two age six, and Hughes’ ride Tillerman was a ripe seven years when he paid 13/8 in beating the 6/4 favourite, the Queen’s own Right Approach trained by Sir Michael Stoute.

Those who fortunate enough to be at Ascot for the 2011 edition received a special treat—a free tour of the racecourse starting from Sovereign’s Gate at noon. Tickets for the day start at £27 if purchased at the gate, VAT included.

Go To bet365

#Ad

Related Events