Celebration Mile

The Celebration Mile is a Group 2 race for three-year-olds and upwards at Goodwood in late August.

It is a recognised trial for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot with Poet’s Voice (2010) being the most recent hose to win both races.

Other notable winners of this race include Brigadier Gerard (1971), Kris (1979), Selkirk (1992), Mark of Esteem (1996) and Raven’s Pass (2008).

Find out more about the Celebration Mile:

Race Overview

The Celebration Mile is a Group 2 flat racing competition for horses aged three and up contested in the United Kingdom. It takes place every year in late August at Goodwood on a one-mile course.

Check out our guides to all the other Group 2 horse races.

Celebration Mile Odds

Here are the latest odds for the Celebration Mile in 2023:

Celebration Mile Tips

Here are some tips for Celebration Mile in 2023:

• 2 points to win for TBC at odds of TBC
• 1 point each way for TBC at odds of TBC

Some of the horses in the Celebration Mile will run in other events later in the year. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.

Celebration Mile Previous Winners

Celebration Mile Previous Result

Timed to perfection! ⏱

Jadoomi wins the William Hill Celebration Mile Stakes 🥇

Great call from Jason Weaver in this morning's #TheOpeningShow! 🦈#ITVRacing | @Goodwood_Races pic.twitter.com/MLbdf8R1Yz

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) August 27, 2022

Famous Celebration Mile Winners

The Celebration Mile was first run as the Wills Mile in 1967, becoming the Goodwood Mile in 1971 when the legendary Brigadier Gerard was successful. Known simply as “The Brigadier”, the brilliant colt won seventeen of his eighteen races including the 2000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes, Champion Stakes twice, Eclipse Stakes and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The race became the Waterford Crystal Mile in 1975 and was promoted from Group 3 to Group 2 status two years’ later. Henry Cecil’s Kris was champion miler in 1979 and won here. His other victories included the St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Other top class winners followed in the 1980’s including Known Fact (1980), To-Agori-Mou (1981), Rousillon (1984) and Milligram (1987).

The race was given its present title in 1989 and the high quality of winners was maintained throughout the nineties with the likes of Selkirk (1992), Harayir (1995) and Mark Of Esteem (1996). Selkirk was rated Europe’s Champion Miler in 1991 and 1992 by Timeform. Harayir won the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket for Major Dick Hern and Mark of Esteem had won the 2000 Guineas prior to his victory at Goodwood.

Chic became the first dual winner in 2004 and 2005, trained by Sir Michael Stoute. His achievement was later matched by David Simcock’s Lightning Spear (2016, 2017). 2008 winner Raven’s Pass was the first English-trained winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic. He beat old rival and 2000 Guineas winner Henrythenavigator in the process. The two horses clashed five times that season, memorably fighting out the finish of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes where Raven’s Pass emerged victorious for the first time.

Key Celebration Mile Trials

Course form at Goodwood is a key factor for Celebration Mile winners. Eight of the last twelve winners ran at the Sussex course on their previous start. Three contested the Sovereign Stakes with two winning and one placed. Three ran in the Thoroughbred Stakes (two winners) and two ran in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes.

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot is often the target for Celebration Mile winners. Four of the last twelve winners ran in that race next time, although only Poet’s Voice (2010) was successful. Bow Creek (2014) won the Boomerang Mile at Leopardstown next time while Century Dream (2020) finished fifth in the same race.

Celebration Mile Betting Trends

There have been five winning favourites in the Celebration Mile in the past twelve years. Kodi Bear (2015) was the shortest-priced winner at 4-5, Lightning Spear returned at Evens in 2017 while Afsare (2013) and Beat The Bank (2018) both returned at 11-8. Century Dream (2020) won as the 11-4 favourite for Simon and Ed Crisford and James Doyle. All but two of the twelve featured in the first three in the betting. The two shock results were provided by Premio Loco in 2012 and Lavender’s Blue in 2021, both returned at 20-1.

Three-year-olds have accounted for five of the last twelve winners, the most recent being Duke Of Hazzard in 2019. Premio Loco bucked most trends when winning this race as an eight-year-old for Chris Wall and George Baker.

Lavender’s Blue (106) and Bow Creek (108) were the only winners officially rated lower than 111. Four horses share the highest officially rated winner on 117; Dubawi Gold (2011), Kodi Bear (2015), Lightning Spear (2016, 2017) and Beat The Bank (2018).

Celebration Mile – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Sir Michael Stoute is the leading trainer in the history of the Celebration Mile with eight winners; Milligram (1987), Among Men (1997), Medicean (2000), No Excuse Needed (2001), Chic (2004, 2005), Echelon (2007) and Zacinto (2009). Saeed bin Suroor has won the race four times, most recently with Poet’s Voice in 2010.

Three jockeys share the record of four winners in the race; Joe Mercer, Willie Carson and Greville Starkey. Oisin Murphy won the race for three consecutive seasons aboard Lightning Spear (2016, 2017) and Beat The Bank (2018). Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori also have three victories apiece, although they have not won since 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Best Celebration Mile Betting Sites

The Celebration Mile has been won by some champion milers over the years and always produces a thrilling race against the backdrop of the Sussex Downs. It usually pays to follow the form and it can provide clues to the big Autumn mile races.

Here are the most popular free bets for Celebration Mile betting:

Summary of Celebration Mile

We hope you enjoyed our guide to the Celebration Mile.

Related August Articles

Resources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebration_Mile