The Celebration Mile headlines a quality card at Goodwood on Saturday afternoon. This eight-furlong Group Two was first run on the famous Sussex downs in 1967, and has been won by legendary milers like Brigadier Gerard, Selkirk and Cape Cross.
Here's our free guide to the 2026 Celebration Mile, including our best betting tips.
2026 Celebration Mile Odds
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| Zavateri | 9/4 |
| Seagulls Elevens | 3/1 |
| Boiling Point | 4/1 |
| Qirat | 11/2 |
| Naqeeb | 8/1 |
| Bar | 12/1 |
2026 Celebration Mile Runners
Zavateri won the Vintage Stakes here at Goodwood last term, and returns to the track following fifth-place finishes in both the Sussex Stakes and the City Of York. Hugo Palmer is represented by Seagulls Eleven, who'll bid to bounce back after a heavy defeat in the Sussex Stakes.
Boiling Point and Naqeeb have won Listed races over this course and distance in 2026, and both will step up into Group Two company on Saturday. 2025 Sussex Stakes winner Qirat also features in the field, having run in both the Lennox and Sussex Stakes during this year's Glorious meeting.
Listed winner Pina Sonata takes on the colts and geldings for the first time. Charlie Johnston's Arisaig is the other filly in the field. Ebt's Guard steps out of handicap company, with Ed Walker's Fast Tracker completing Saturday's field.
2026 Celebration Mile Tips
The last two renewals of the Celebration Mile have gone the way of three-year-olds, so Zavateri must warrant respect, mainly due to his accomplishments last season. However, plenty of rain is due at Goodwood - especially on Saturday morning and through into the afternoon - and Eve Johnson Houghton's former Group One winner is unraced on anything softer than yielding.
A deluge on the morning of the race would certainly suit SEAGULLS ELEVEN (7/2). Hugo Palmer's gelding has done nearly all of his winning on a softer surface, including back-to-back wins at Longchamp and Epsom earlier in the season.
Having gotten the better of the hardy Persica and Boiling Point in the Diomed Stakes, Seagulls Eleven went on to run a monster race in the Summer Mile at Ascot, flying home late to get within a length of Zeus Olympios. Conditions were even hotter and quicker on Sussex Stakes day here at Goodwood two weeks later, and Palmer's outsider struggled badly, labouring home in tenth, while the vets reported that he was showing signs of post-race ataxia.
Hugo Palmer might regret running Seagulls Eleven that day, but it would have been hard to resist the lure of such a prestigious contest, given how well his gelding ran at Ascot. Seagulls Eleven is a previous winner here at Goodwood too, so that was probably factored into the decision.
If the rain does indeed materialise, then conditions will be ideal for David Probert's mount at the weekend, and Seagulls Eleven is certainly capable of a Group Two-winning performance when the ground is in his favour.
Visit our Celebration Mile Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Saturday's races via a mobile or tablet.
Live Stream
Visit our Celebration Mile Live Stream page if you want to watch any of Saturday's races via a mobile or tablet.