Celebration Mile

The Celebration Mile is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late August.

Celebration Mile

Group 2 race
Location	Goodwood Racecourse W. Sussex, England
Inaugurated	1967
Race type	Flat
Sponsor	William Hill
Website	Goodwood
Race information
Distance	1 mile (1,609 metres)
Surface	Turf
Track	Right-handed
Qualification	Three-years-old and up
Weight	9 st 0 lb (3yo); 9 st 6 lb (4yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares Penalties 5 lb for Group 1 winners * 3 lb for Group 2 winners * * after 2021
Purse	£125,000 (2022) 1st: £70,888

Celebration Mile

2023
Angel Bleu	Knight	Charyn

Previous years
2022
Jadoomi	Finest Sound	Escobar
2021
Lavender's Blue	Benbatl	Pogo

2020-2011
2020
Century Dream	Sir Busker	Regal Reality
2019
Duke Of Hazzard	Turgenev	Happy Power
2018
Beat The Bank	Whisky Baron	Stormy Antarctic
2017
Lightning Spear	Zonderland	Hathal
2016
Lightning Spear	Zonderland	Arod
2015
Kodi Bear	Gabrial	Breton Rock
2014
Bow Creek	Emell	Captain Cat
2013
Afsare	Stipulate	Trade Storm
2012
Premio Loco	Thistle Bird	Aljamaaheer
2011
Dubawi Gold	Set The Trend	Beacon Lodge

2010-2001
2010
Poet's Voice	Main Aim	Summer Fete
2009
Delegator	Zacinto	Ordnance Row
2008
Raven's Pass	Bankable	Third Set
2007
Echelon	Cesare	Blue Ksar
2006
Caradak	Killybegs	George Washington
2005
Chic	Majors Cast	Court Masterpiece
2004
Chic	Nayyir	Hurricane Alan
2003
Priors Lodge	Passing Glance	Tillerman
2002
Tillerman	Redback	Reel Buddy
2001
No Excuse Needed	Tamburlaine	Late Night Out

2000-1991
2000
Medicean	Observatory	Cape Town
1999
Cape Cross	Josr Algarhoud	Almushtarak
1998
Muhtathir	Almushtarak	Lovers Knot
1997
Among Men	Polar Prince	Peartree House
1996
Mark Of Esteem	Bishop Of Cashel	Alhaarth
1995
Harayir	Darnay	Realities
1994
Mehthaaf	Emperor Jones	Turtle Island
1993
Swing Low	Mistle Cat	Emperor Jones
1992
Selkirk	Steinbeck	Rudimentary
1991
Bold Russian	Flashfoot	Crystal Path

1990-1988
1990
Shavian	Candy Glen	Lord Florey
1989
Distant Relative	Great Commotion	Reprimand
1988
Prince Rupert	Then Again	Doyoun

History

The event was established in 1967, and it was originally called the Wills Mile. It was renamed the Goodwood Mile in 1971, and from this point it was classed at Group 3 level.

The race became known as the Waterford Crystal Mile in 1975, and it was promoted to Group 2 status in 1977. It was given its present title in 1989.

The leading horses from the Celebration Mile often go on to compete in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. The last to win both in the same year was Poet's Voice in 2010.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

• Chic – 2004, 2005
• Lightning Spear - 2016, 2017

Leading jockey (4 wins):

• Joe Mercer – Brigadier Gerard (1971), Sallust (1972), Captain James (1978), Kris (1979)
• Willie Carson – Known Fact (1980), Bold Russian (1991), Mehthaaf (1994), Harayir (1995)
• Greville Starkey – To-Agori-Mou (1981), Sandhurst Prince (1982), Rousillon (1984), Then Again (1986)

Leading trainer (8 wins):

• Sir Michael Stoute – Milligram (1987), Among Men (1997), Medicean (2000), No Excuse Needed (2001), Chic (2004, 2005), Echelon (2007), Zacinto (2009)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Time
1967	St Chad	3	George Moore	Noel Murless	1:44.00
1968	Jimmy Reppin	3	Geoff Lewis	John Sutcliffe, Jr.	1:39.20
1969	Habitat	3	Lester Piggott	Fulke Johnson Houghton	1:42.00
1970	Humble Duty	3	Duncan Keith	Peter Walwyn	1:39.30
1971	Brigadier Gerard	3	Joe Mercer	Dick Hern	1:42.07
1972	Sallust	3	Joe Mercer	Dick Hern	1:39.43
1973	Jacinth	3	John Gorton	Bruce Hobbs	1:38.32
1974	Pitcairn	3	Ron Hutchinson	John Dunlop	1:42.84
1975	Gay Fandango	3	Pat Eddery	Vincent O'Brien	1:42.24
1976	Free State	3	Pat Eddery	Peter Walwyn	1:39.44
1977	Be My Guest	3	Lester Piggott	Vincent O'Brien	1:46.28
1978	Captain James	4	Joe Mercer	Seamus McGrath	1:39.70
1979	Kris [a]	3	Joe Mercer	Henry Cecil	1:43.00
1980	Known Fact	3	Willie Carson	Jeremy Tree	1:41.32
1981	To-Agori-Mou	3	Greville Starkey	Guy Harwood	1:38.59
1982	Sandhurst Prince	3	Greville Starkey	Guy Harwood	1:38.74
1983	Montekin	4	Brian Rouse	John Dunlop	1:39.27
1984	Rousillon	3	Greville Starkey	Guy Harwood	1:43.12
1985	no race 1985 [b]
1986	Then Again	3	Greville Starkey	Luca Cumani	1:39.92
1987	Milligram	3	Walter Swinburn	Michael Stoute	1:36.80
1988	Prince Rupert	4	Michael Hills	Barry Hills	1:41.50
1989	Distant Relative	3	Michael Hills	Barry Hills	1:40.08
1990	Shavian	3	Steve Cauthen	Henry Cecil	1:37.05
1991	Bold Russian	4	Willie Carson	Barry Hills	1:39.33
1992	Selkirk	4	Ray Cochrane	Ian Balding	1:41.72
1993	Swing Low	4	John Reid	Richard Hannon Sr.	1:38.94
1994	Mehthaaf	3	Willie Carson	John Dunlop	1:39.12
1995	Harayir	3	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	1:36.73
1996	Mark of Esteem	3	Frankie Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor	1:41.18
1997	Among Men [c]	3	Michael Kinane	Michael Stoute	1:38.34
1998	Muhtathir	3	Richard Hills	John Gosden	1:38.46
1999	Cape Cross	5	John Reid	Saeed bin Suroor	1:38.64
2000	Medicean	3	Pat Eddery	Sir Michael Stoute	1:38.65
2001	No Excuse Needed	3	Kieren Fallon	Sir Michael Stoute	1:38.23
2002	Tillerman	6	Richard Hughes	Amanda Perrett	1:38.13
2003	Priors Lodge	5	Willie Ryan	Marcus Tregoning	1:37.63
2004	Chic	4	Kieren Fallon	Sir Michael Stoute	1:43.22
2005	Chic	5	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute	1:37.89
2006	Caradak	5	Frankie Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor	1:37.26
2007	Echelon	5	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute	1:38.97
2008	Raven's Pass	3	Jimmy Fortune	John Gosden	1:39.30
2009	Zacinto [d]	3	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute	1:41.54
2010	Poet's Voice	3	Frankie Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor	1:39.22
2011	Dubawi Gold	3	Richard Hughes	Richard Hannon Sr.	1:39.16
2012	Premio Loco	8	George Baker	Chris Wall	1:41.21
2013	Afsare	6	Andrea Atzeni	Luca Cumani	1:38.60
2014	Bow Creek	3	Joe Fanning	Mark Johnston	1:37.76
2015	Kodi Bear	3	Gérald Mossé	Clive Cox	1:39.46
2016	Lightning Spear	5	Oisin Murphy	David Simcock	1:35.96
2017	Lightning Spear	6	Oisin Murphy	David Simcock	1:38.89
2018	Beat The Bank	4	Oisin Murphy	Andrew Balding	1:37.12
2019	Duke Of Hazzard	3	Rossa Ryan	Paul Cole	1:37.47
2020	Century Dream	6	James Doyle	Simon & Ed Crisford	1:40.38
2021	Lavender's Blue	5	Rob Hornby	Amanda Perrett	1:36.21
2022	Jadoomi	4	William Buick	Simon & Ed Crisford	1:40.86
2023	Angel Bleu	4	Hector Crouch	Ralph Beckett	1:44.67
2024	Ice Max	3	Clifford Lee	Karl Burke	1:43.95

1. The 1979 running took place at Ascot
2. The 1985 edition was abandoned because of a waterlogged course
3. Cape Cross finished first in 1997, but he was relegated to last place following a stewards' inquiry
4. Delegator was first in 2009, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance

See also

• Horse racing in Great Britain
• List of British flat horse races
• Recurring sporting events established in 1967 – this race is included under its original title, Wills Mile.

References

• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
  • 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

External links

• Race Recordings (1969, 1981-2005) youtube.com
• galopp-sieger.de – Celebration Mile (ex Wills Mile).
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Celebration Mile (2018).
• pedigreequery.com – Celebration Mile – Goodwood.
• Abelson, Edward; John Tyrrel (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. p. 162. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.