May Hill

May Hill is a hill between Gloucester and Ross-on-Wye. Its summit is on the western edge of Gloucestershire, though its northern slopes are in Herefordshire. The hill is made distinctive by a clump of trees on its top.

Toponymy

There is an unverified story that May Hill was named after a certain Captain May who used it as a landmark when navigating the Severn estuary, but documents from a couple of hundred years ago relate that the hill was known as Yartleton Hill and was renamed because of the May Day events held there. Each May Day, morris dancers dance in the new dawn on the top of May Hill and hundreds of observers join in the celebration. A ceremony on May Day morning has been carried out for several centuries; originally it included a mock battle between youths.

Geography

May Hill forms part of a low range of hills separating the River Severn from the River Wye. The summit is 296 metres (971 ft) above sea level, and located there among the trees are several benches from which one may study the views, which are extensive in all directions. They include views to the Welsh borders, and the lower reaches of the River Severn, bypassed for shipping by the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

May Hill (horse)

May Hill (foaled 1972) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from October 1974 until October 1976 she won four of her thirteen races and was placed on seven occasions. She won her only race as a two-year-old but showed moderate form in the early part of her three-year-old season. In the late summer and autumn of 1975, however, she emerged as a top-class filly, winning the Yorkshire Oaks and the Park Hill Stakes and was subsequently rated the best British filly of her generation. She remained in training in 1976, but failed to win in five races. She was then retired to stud and had some success as a broodmare. She is commemorated in the May Hill Stakes a race for two-year-old fillies at Doncaster Racecourse.

Background

May Hill was a "well-made, good-quartered"bay mare with a white star and snip and three white socks bred in England by her owner Percival Williams. She was probably the best horse sired by the American horse Hill Clown, who won the Sunset Handicap in 1967 before being sent to the United Kingdom. May Hill was the third of four foals produced by her dam Mabel, a high-class racemare who won the Yorkshire Oaks in 1965 and was placed in the Oaks Stakes, 1000 Guineas and Park Hill Stakes.

May Hill Stakes

The May Hill Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

History

The event is named after May Hill, a successful filly whose victories included Doncaster's Park Hill Stakes in 1975. It was established in 1976, and was originally classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 status in 2003.

The May Hill Stakes is currently held on the third day of the St. Leger Festival, the day before the St. Leger Stakes.

The leading horses from the race often go on to compete in the Fillies' Mile. The last to win both was Lyric of Light in 2011.

Records

Leading jockey (4 wins):

Leading trainer (12 wins):

Hill Stakes

The Hill Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race at run at Weight for Age over a distance of 2000 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in September. Total prize money for the race is A$200,000.

History

Race venue

Race grade

Race distance

The winners

See also

References