Yeomanstown Homebred Aylin Lands Group 2 May Hill Stakes
Aylin put the seal on a promising month for sire St Mark’s Basilica as she became his first Group winner in Thursday’s Betfred May Hill Stakes at Doncaster
The Yeomanstown Stud-bred filly was one of the three most expensive members of the sire’s first crop of yearlings to be sold when knocked down to a partnership of Al Shaqab and Amo Racing at Tattersalls Book 2.
Bloodstock agent Alex Elliott, who signed for Aylin, said that day: “She’s a phenomenal ‘physical’, as you can imagine. She’s by a first-crop sire so there’s a bit of an unknown there, but she’s out of a fast Dark Angel mare and, physically, the whole team agreed she was giving us the [2024 Albany winner] Fairy Godmother vibes.”
Aylin came home strongly to pick up the Betfred May Hill Stakes at Doncaster and continue a dream season for Karl Burke with his juveniles.
Third in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood last month, Aylin still had plenty to do as the runners entered the final quarter-mile of the one-mile Group Two contest.
However, her stamina soon kicked in and once David Egan asked his mount for maximum effort she powered past Andrew Balding’s Pacific Mission (second) and Aidan O’Brien’s Sugar Island (third) to take top spot.
The unbeaten Venetian Sun has flown the flag for the Spigot Lodge handler this term, but now he can add Aylin to the mix for next year’s Classics after she joined one of the trainer’s most famous alumni Laurens (2017) and Darnation (2023) on the May Hill roll of honour.
Burke said: “She stayed well and we always thought she would stay, but there’s staying in lesser company and staying in this company and she’s proved she’s up to this Group-race level.
“She came to us with a big reputation. Kia (Joorabchian) owns half of her with Al Shaqab Racing and he was pretty keen for her to come to us, so I’m delighted for everybody.”
WATCH Full Race Replay AYLIN wins the 2025 Betfred May Hill Stakes Gr.2 (Media Credit: Al Shaqab Racing via You Tube)
