By Tom Frary
The signs are that the end of summer is bringing a new force into the reckoning in St Mark's Basilica and Coolmore's first-crop sire was at the forefront again on Thursday as his daughter Aylin captured Doncaster's G2 May Hill Stakes. Third last time in Goodwood's seven-furlong G3 Prestige Stakes, Al Shaqab and Amo Racing's 5-1 second favourite relished this stamina-sapping mile test and stayed on for David Egan to overhaul Pacific Mission (Lope De Vega) late on and score by 3/4 of a length.
“I thought she was going to struggle three out, but the extra furlong suited her,” trainer Karl Burke said. “She ran well last time, but got in a little bit of trouble. The question is now whether to go again in the Fillies' Mile or Marcel Boussac. She was very fit today and so it's a little bit of a question mark as to how she will take this race and whether another run will be one too many.”
Anna-Lisa Balding said of the runner-up, a Kempton novice winner who hails from one of Juddmonte's productive families, “She's a lovely filly, it was a step up in class and she's risen to the challenge beautifully. I think Colin [Keane] has given her a beautiful ride, we were beaten by a good horse on the day and I think her three-year-old career is going to be exciting.”
Pedigree Notes
Aylin is a surprising staying juvenile given that she is the third foal out of the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes-winning sprinter Angelic Light (Dark Angel), with the stamina coming down from the fourth dam Radiance, a daughter of the Derby hero Blakeney who captured the Prix Corrida and Prix de Royallieu. The family includes the Prix Vermeille heroine Kitesurf (Dubawi) and the TDN Rising Star three-year-old Glittering Surf (Oasis Dream). Angelic Light's colt foal is by Galiway.
Thurday, Doncaster, Britain
BETFRED MAY HILL STAKES-G2, £120,000, Doncaster, 9-11, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:39.79, g/s.
1–AYLIN (IRE), 128, f, 2, by St Mark's Basilica (Fr)
1st Dam: Angelic Light (Ire) (SW-Eng), by Dark Angel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Delia Eria (Ire), by Zamindar
3rd Dam: Flow Beau (GB), by Mtoto (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (600,000gns Ylg '24
TATOCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing & Amo Racing; B-Yeomanstown
Stud; T-Karl Burke; J-David Egan. £68,052. Lifetime Record:
4-2-1-1, $154,497. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pacific Mission (GB), 128, f, 2, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Big Break
(GB), by Dansili (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK
TYPE. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd; T-Andrew
Balding. £25,800.
3–Sugar Island (Ire), 128, f, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Heaven On Earth
(Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK
TYPE. O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor & D Smith;
B-Westerberg; T-Aidan O'Brien. £12,912.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1HF. Odds: 5.00, 11.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Rose Ghaiyyath (Ire), Timeforshowcasing (GB), Venetian Lace (Ire), Moon Target (GB), Swift Winds (Ire). Scratched: Samra Green (Ire).
So game! 💪
AYLIN battles to victory in the Group 2 @Betfred May Hill Stakes…@DavidEgan99 | @karl_burke | @DoncasterRaces pic.twitter.com/5yoX7wBSPL
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 11, 2025
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