Michael Hills (jockey)

Michael Hills
Personal information
Born	22 January 1963 (age 62)
Occupation	Jockey
Horse racing career
Sport	Horse racing
Major racing wins
	British Classic Races:; Derby Stakes (1996); Other major races:; Matron Stakes (1987); Flying Five Stakes (1989, 1995); Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (1986); Fillies' Mile (1989); Irish Champion Stakes (1995); British Champions Sprint Stakes (2006); Sprint Cup (1997, 2007); Sun Chariot Stakes (2006); Nunthorpe Stakes (1988, 2005); Dewhurst Stakes (1985, 1988, 1996, 1999); Champion Stakes (2002); Middle Park Stakes (1993, 2007); Pretty Polly Stakes (2000); Irish 1,000 Guineas (1993, 1999); Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (1988); Prix Morny (1994); Prix Jean Prat (1999); Prix d'Ispahan (1997); Dubai Golden Shaheen (2003); Nassau Stakes (1997); King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1996); Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1994, 1997); Queen Anne Stakes (1995); King's Stand Stakes (2010); Lockinge Stakes (1997); Coronation Stakes (1997, 2005); Sussex Stakes (1996); Goodwood Cup (1991, 1992); Gold Cup (1994)
Racing awards
	British flat racing Champion Apprentice (1983)
Significant horses
	Arcadian Heights, Dark Angel, Distant Music, Equiano, First Island, First Trump, Further Flight, Handsome Sailor, Hula Angel, Huntingdale, In Command, La Cucaracha, Lockton, Maids Causeway, Nicer, Owington, Pentire, Rebecca Sharp, Red Clubs, Royal Applause, Ryafan, Scenic, Shaamit, Spinning Queen, Storming Home
	Updated on 21 October 2023

Last updated December 18, 2025

Michael Hills (born 22 January 1963) is a retired British flat racing jockey, who won the 1996 Epsom Derby on Shaamit. He was British flat racing Champion Apprentice of 1983. He is twin brother to retired flat racing jockey Richard Hills and their father was racehorse trainer Barry Hills.

Career

Michael Patrick Hills was born in Newmarket, Suffolk on 22 January 1963. His first winner was also his first competitive ride - on Sky Thief at Nottingham on 13 August 1979, riding for his father.^[1] He then became apprentice to Jeremy Hindley. In 1982, he was suspended from riding for six months after striking fellow jockey Susan Gilbert across the face with a whip after a race.^[1]

In 1983, riding again for Hindley he became Champion Apprentice. His best season numerically was 1999 when he rode 92 winners. His final winner was Winter Song at Newmarket on 2 November 2012.^[2]

He is now a BHA jockey coach.

Personal life

Michael is married to Chris Hills and has a daughter, Samantha. Chris is Australian and is the racing secretary at Joseph Parr Racing. Michael's hobbies include darts and snooker. He also breeds Australian finches.

British career wins

1979 – 5
1980 – 13
1981 – 10
1982 – 15
1983 – 39
1984 – 41
1985 – 39
1986 – 40

1987 – 75
1988 – 76
1989 – 77
1990 – 61
1991 – 65
1992 – 91
1993 – 86
1994 – 89

1995 – 74
1996 – 80
1997 – 84
1998 – 61
1999 – 92
2000 – 73
2001 – 58
2002 – 65

2003 – 57
2004 – 66
2005 – 56
2006 – 69
2007 – 50
2008 – 47
2009 – 57

Major wins

Great Britain

Ascot Gold Cup – (1) – Arcadian Heights (1994)
Champion Stakes – (1) – Storming Home (2002)^[3]
Coronation Stakes – (2) – Rebecca Sharp (1997), Maids Causeway (2005)^[4]
Derby – (1) – Shaamit (1996)^[5]
Dewhurst Stakes – (4) – Huntingdale (1985), Scenic (1988, dead heat), In Command (1996), Distant Music (1999)
Fillies' Mile – (1) – Silk Slippers (1989)
Golden Jubilee Stakes – (2) – Owington (1994), Royal Applause (1997)
Haydock Sprint Cup – (2) – Royal Applause (1997), Red Clubs (2007)
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes – (1) – Pentire (1996)
King's Stand Stakes – (1) – Equiano (2010)
Lockinge Stakes – (1) – First Island (1997)
Middle Park Stakes – (2) – First Trump (1993), Dark Angel (2007)
Nassau Stakes – (1) – Ryafan (1997)
Nunthorpe Stakes – (2) – Handsome Sailor (1988), La Cucaracha (2005)
Prince of Wales's Stakes – (1) – First Island (1996)
Queen Anne Stakes – (1) – Nicolotte (1995)
Sun Chariot Stakes – (1) – Spinning Queen (2006)
Sussex Stakes – (1) – First Island (1996)

France

Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp – (1) – Handsome Sailor (1988)
Prix d'Ispahan – (1) – Sasuru (1997)
Prix Jean Prat – (1) – Golden Snake (1999)
Prix Morny – (1) – Hoh Magic (1994)

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Cup – (1) – First Island (1996)

Ireland

Irish 1,000 Guineas – (2) – Nicer (1993), Hula Angel (1999)
Irish Champion Stakes – (1) – Pentire (1995)
Matron Stakes – (1) – Pixie Erin (1987)
National Stakes – (1) – Lockton (1986)
Pretty Polly Stakes – (1) – Lady Upstage (2000)

Italy

Premio Vittorio di Capua – (1) – Nicolotte (1995)

United Arab Emirates

Dubai Golden Shaheen – (1) – State City (2003)

India

The Clash of the Titans Thumbelina Trophy – (1) - Bonjour Tristesse (2000)

References

1 2 Wright 1986, p. 122.
↑ "Michael Hills". Jockeypedia. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
↑ "Storming Home bounces back". BBC Sport . 19 October 2002.
↑ "Battling Causeway's coronation". Yorkshire Post . Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
↑ Edmondson, Richard (9 June 1996). "Shaamit show just starting". The Independent.

Bibliography

Wright, Howard (1986). The Encyclopaedia of Flat Racing. London: Robert Hale. ISBN 0-7090-2639-0.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[FOOTNOTEWright1986122-1] 1 2 Wright 1986, p. 122.

[Jockeypedia-2] "Michael Hills". Jockeypedia. Retrieved 22 October 2023.

[BBC021019-3] "Storming Home bounces back". BBC Sport . 19 October 2002.

[YP-4] "Battling Causeway's coronation". Yorkshire Post . Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.

[Ind960609-5] Edmondson, Richard (9 June 1996). "Shaamit show just starting". The Independent.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]