The Musidora Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards () at York in May.

History The event is named after Musidora, the Yorkshire-trained winner of the 1,000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks in 1949. Established in 1961, it serves as a leading trial for the Oaks, which is run in late May or early June. The first running was won by Ambergris.

The present race grading system was introduced in 1971, and the Musidora Stakes was given Group 3 status.

In total, eight winners of the race have achieved victory in the Oaks. The first was Noblesse in 1963, and the most recent was Soul Sister in 2023. The 2015 winner, Star of Seville, won the Prix de Diane, the French equivalent of the Oaks.

The Musidora Stakes is currently held on the opening day of York's three-day Dante Festival meeting. It is run the day before the Dante Stakes.

Records

Leading jockey (7 wins): Frankie Dettori – Bahr (1998), Punctilious (2004), Star of Seville (2015), So Mi Dar (2016), Shutter Speed (2017), Emily Upjohn (2022), Soul Sister (2023)

Leading trainers (9 wins): Sir Henry Cecil – Fatah Flare (1985), Indian Skimmer (1987), Diminuendo (1988), Snow Bride (1989), All at Sea (1992), Style (1996), Reams of Verse (1997), Passage of Time (2007), Aviate (2010) John Gosden – Marillette (1993), Joviality (2011), The Fugue (2012), Star of Seville (2015), So Mi Dar (2016), Shutter Speed (2017), Emily Upjohn (2022), Soul Sister (2023), Legacy Link (2026)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Time 1961 Ambergris Lester Piggott Harry Wragg 2:18.20 1962 Fool's Gold Harry Carr Cecil Boyd-Rochfort 2:25.20 1963 Noblesse Garnie Bougoure Paddy Prendergast 2:17.80 1964 Ela Marita Garnie Bougoure Paddy Prendergast 2:16.20 1965 Arctic Melody Garnie Bougoure Paddy Prendergast Jr. 2:17.00 1966 Orabella II Brian Taylor Harvey Leader 2:22.40 1967 Palatch Brian Taylor Harvey Leader 2:35.00 1968 Exchange Brian Taylor Harvey Leader 2:28.80 1969 Lovers Lane Sandy Barclay Noel Murless 2:43.00 1970 Whitefoot Jimmy Lindley Harry Wragg 2:16.80 1971 Catherine Wheel John Gorton Bruce Hobbs 2:12.60 1972 Jakomima Duncan Keith Peter Walwyn 2:15.80 1973 Where You Lead Edward Hide Vincent O'Brien 2:13.70 1974 Escorial Lester Piggott Ian Balding 2:12.18 1975 Moonlight Night Geoff Lewis Noel Murless 2:24.12 1976 Everything Nice Geoff Lewis Bruce Hobbs 2:19.80 1977 Triple First Edward Hide Michael Stoute 2:15.17 1978 Princess of Man Ernie Johnson Barry Hills 2:16.11 1979 Rimosa's Pet Greville Starkey Michael Stoute 2:14.50 1980 Bireme Willie Carson Dick Hern 2:10.49 1981 Condessa Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger 2:18.78 1982 Last Feather Steve Cauthen Barry Hills 2:15.07 1983 Give Thanks Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger 2:18.77 1984 Optimistic Lass Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute 2:10.38 1985 Fatah Flare Steve Cauthen Henry Cecil 2:13.33 1986 Rejuvenate Brent Thomson Barry Hills 2:13.29 1987 Indian Skimmer Steve Cauthen Henry Cecil 2:12.57 1988 Diminuendo Steve Cauthen Henry Cecil 2:11.46 1989 Snow Bride Steve Cauthen Henry Cecil 2:08.25 1990 In the Groove Ray Cochrane David Elsworth 2:09.80 1991 Gussy Marlowe Michael Roberts Clive Brittain 2:12.23 1992 All At Sea Pat Eddery Henry Cecil 2:18.78 1993 Marillette Pat Eddery John Gosden 2:15.69 1994 Hawajiss Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute 2:10.79 1995 Pure Grain John Reid Michael Stoute 2:11.59 1996 Magnificient Style Michael Kinane Henry Cecil 2:11.45 1997 Reams of Verse Kieren Fallon Henry Cecil 2:11.81 1998 Bahr Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor 2:16.22 1999 Zahrat Dubai Michael Kinane Saeed bin Suroor 2:15.34 2000 Kalypso Katie Michael Kinane Jeremy Noseda 2:12.32 2001 Time Away Pat Eddery John Dunlop 2:09.71 2002 Islington Kieren Fallon Sir Michael Stoute 2:09.11 2003 Cassis Pat Eddery Jeremy Noseda 2:09.08 2004 Punctilious Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor 2:22.33 2005 Secret History Joe Fanning Mark Johnston 2:19.43 2006 Short Skirt Michael Kinane Sir Michael Stoute 2:15.63 2007 Passage of Time Richard Hughes Henry Cecil 2:11.78 2008 Lush Lashes Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 2:09.78 2009 Sariska Jamie Spencer Michael Bell 2:11.41 2010 Aviate Eddie Ahern Henry Cecil 2:09.14 2011 Joviality William Buick John Gosden 2:10.60 2012 The Fugue William Buick John Gosden 2:11.36 2013 Liber Nauticus Ryan Moore Sir Michael Stoute 2:14.58 2014 Madame Chiang Kieren Fallon David Simcock 2:11.04 2015 Star of Seville Frankie Dettori John Gosden 2:11.88 2016 So Mi Dar Frankie Dettori John Gosden 2:09.07 2017 Shutter Speed Frankie Dettori John Gosden 2:18.62 2018 Give And Take James Doyle William Haggas 2:12.04 2019 Nausha Andrea Atzeni Roger Varian 2:10.50 2020 Rose of Kildare Franny Norton Mark Johnston 2:10.80 2021 Snowfall Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 2:15.18 2022 Emily Upjohn Frankie Dettori John & Thady Gosden 2:10.86 2023 Soul Sister Frankie Dettori John & Thady Gosden 2:10.11 2024 Secret Satire Oisin Murphy Andrew Balding 2:12.64 2025 Whirl Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 2:09.61 2026 Legacy Link Colin Keane John & Thady Gosden 2:11.15

See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British flat horse races

References

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External links Race Recordings (1974, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987–2003) youtube.com galopp-sieger.de – Musidora Stakes. ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Musidora Stakes (2019). pedigreequery.com – Musidora Stakes – York.