Doncaster's St Leger Festival is one of the most prestigious race weeks of the British horse racing calendar and it culminates in the final Classic of the season.
The St Leger is the longest of the British Classic at one-mile-six-and-a-half-furlongs and the Town Moor race serves as the ultimate stamina-test for the graduating three-year-old class.
What | Doncaster St Leger Festival |
Where | Doncaster Racecourse |
When | Wednesday 7th - Saturday 10th September, 2022 |
How to watch | ITV Racing, Sky Sports Racing & bet365 Sports Live Streaming |
Odds | New London 3/1, Westover 4/1, Changingoftheguard 15/2, Francesco Clemente 8/1, Eldar Eldarov 10/1, Hoo Ya Mal 12/1 |
The St Leger Festival takes place from Wednesday 7th September to Saturday 10th September, with four days of high-class racing culminating in the St Leger itself on the Saturday afternoon.
It is said that 'The fastest horse wins the Guineas; the luckiest the Derby and the best horse wins the St Leger', but who will be victorious in the Doncaster showpiece this time around?
The St Leger Festival is staged at Doncaster Racecourse in south Yorkshire. Racing at Doncaster dates back to the 16th century and it is one of Britain's oldest tracks as such.
The left-handed, pear-shaped track of around 1 mile 7½ furlongs is mostly flat and is affectionately known as Town Moor.
The four days of the St Leger Festival will be covered by ITV Racing for terrestrial viewers in Britain alongside race-by-race coverage on Sky Sports Racing. Every race at the meeting can also be viewed via bet365's Sports Live Streaming.
On Wednesday, the St Leger Festival kicks off with a bang when retired stars of the saddle dust off their breeches and return to action in the feature event, the popular Leger Legends charity race, a contest run on the straight mile.
Day two is Ladies Day on Thursday and features Group-race action via the Sceptre Stakes and the Park Hill Stakes, while the Friday is headlined by the Doncaster Cup - one of Britain's key long-distance events - alongside the Flying Childers Stakes and the May Hill Stakes.
Alongside the St Leger itself, Saturday's quality card includes the Champagne Stakes, the Park Stakes and the Portland Handicap.
Bill Scott holds the record for the most St Leger wins with nine, scoring on Jack Spigot (1821), Memnon (1825), The Colonel (1828), Rowton (1829), Don John (1838), Charles the Twelfth (1839), Launcelot (1840), Satirist (1841), Sir Tatton Sykes (1846).
Frankie Dettori's win on Logician in 2019 was his sixth St Leger success and makes him the most prolific rider of his era.
That accolade is the possession of John Scott (brother of Bill) who amassed an incredible 16 wins and was dubbed 'The Wizard of the North'.
He saddeld Matilda (1827), The Colonel (1828), Rowton (1829), Margrave (1832), Touchstone (1834), Don John (1838), Charles the Twelfth (1839), Launcelot (1840), Satirist (1841), The Baron (1845), Newminster (1851), West Australian (1853), Warlock (1856), Imperieuse (1857), Gamester (1859), The Marquis (1862) to St Leger glory.
Aidan O'Brien (seven) and John Gosden (five) are among the most successful trainers in the modern era.
Logician broke the track record in 2019 when maintaining his then unbeaten record to win for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori in a time of 3mins 00.27seconds.
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Here are the winners of the St Leger since 2012.
Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | Encke | Mickael Barzalone | Mahmood Al Zarooni |
2013 | Leading Light | Joseph O'Brien | Aidan O'Brien |
2014 | Kingston Hill | Andrea Atzeni | Roger Varian |
2015 | Simple Verse | Andrea Atzeni | Ralph Beckett |
2016 | Harbour Law | George Baker | Laura Mongan |
2017 | Capri | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien |
2018 | Kew Gardens | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien |
2019 | Logician | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden |
2020 | Galileo Chrome | Tom Marquand | Joseph O'Brien |
2021 | Hurricane Lane | William Buick | Charlie Appleby |
New London is 3/1 to hand Charlie Appleby successive wins in the Town Moor Classic, following his win the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in July.
Impressive Irish Derby winner Westover is 4/1 for Ralph Beckett, having tried and failed to take on his elders since in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot.
Changingoftheguard has won the Chester Vase and the King Edward Stakes already this season for Aidan O'Brien and appears to be the main contender from his Ballydoyle string for Leger glory at 15/2, while Queen's Vase winner Eldar Eldarov is 10/1 for Roger Varian, having excelled in that 1m6f contest.
Epsom Derby second Hoo Ya Mal is 12/1 for George Boughey, those he does have two-lengths to find on New London after their Goodwood clash.
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