Intro: the oldest Classic of them all
The St Leger was first staged in 1776 at Doncaster and is the oldest of British horse racing’s five Classics. The others are the Derby and Oaks at Epsom and the 2000 and 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. It is also the oldest Classic in the world and the longest of the five British Classics.
The contest was devised by Anthony St Leger, an army officer and politician who lived near Doncaster, and has been run at its current home, Doncaster Racecourse on Town Moor, since 1778. This year marks the St Leger’s 250th anniversary.
The race at a glance
The Betfred St Leger takes place at 3.35pm on Saturday 12 September on day three of the four-day St Leger Festival. The race is contested over one mile, six furlongs and 115 yards and is a Group 1 Flat event restricted to three-year-olds.
The final Classic and the Triple Crown
The St Leger is the final Classic of the season and the last leg of the Triple Crown. The first two legs are the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, over a mile, and the Derby at Epsom, over a mile and four furlongs. The last horse to complete the Triple Crown was Nijinsky in 1970, while Camelot finished second at Doncaster in his bid to complete the Triple Crown in 2012.
Why it is a test for stayers
The St Leger is a test for stayers, as it can be the first time participants have raced over the trip. At the St Leger distance, raw speed alone is not enough. Horses must be able to conserve their energy, settle into a rhythm and maintain their pace over a prolonged period before producing a finishing effort. The event therefore places a premium on stamina and tactical judgement, with jockeys having to judge when to ask their horses for their final effort in Doncaster's long home straight.
A short history and famous winners
Allabaculia made history as the first winner of a race that would go on to become one of the most prestigious events in the racing calendar.
The victory of West Australian in 1853 marked another defining moment, as he became the first horse to complete the Triple Crown by winning the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the St Leger in the same season.
His achievement established a remarkable tradition that would later be matched by some of the greatest names in racing history, including Ormonde in 1886, Diamond Jubilee in 1900, Bahram in 1935 and Nijinsky in 1970, ridden by the legendary Lester Piggott.
Famous modern winners include Silver Patriarch, ridden by Pat Eddery in 1997; the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Conduit in 2008; and Aidan O’Brien’s Scandinavia in 2025.
Betfred St Leger previous winners since 2005
| Year | Going | Ran | Winner | Draw | Age | Weight | Form | Last run | Trainer | Jockey | SP | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Soft | 7 | Scandinavia | 7 | 3 | 9 3 | 27-1511 | 46 days | A P O'Brien | Tom Marquand | 2/ 1 | 3:04.63 |
| 2024 | Good | 7 | Jan Brueghel | 4 | 3 | 9 3 | 111 | 44 days | A P O'Brien | Sean Levey | 11/ 4 | 3:04.52 |
| 2023 | Soft | 9 | Continuous | 2 | 3 | 9 3 | 11-3821 | 24 days | A P O'Brien | Ryan Moore | 3/ 1 | 3:06.95 |
| 2022 | Good to Soft | 9 | Eldar Eldarov | 5 | 3 | 9 3 | 1-114 | 59 days | R Varian | David Egan | 9/ 2 | 3:08.39 |
| 2021 | Good to Soft | 10 | Hurricane Lane | 4 | 3 | 9 1 | 1-11311 | 59 days | C Appleby | William Buick | 8/ 11 | 3:04.28 |
| 2020 | Good | 11 | Galileo Chrome | 12 | 3 | 9 1 | 5-111 | 14 days | J P O'Brien | Tom Marquand | 4/ 1 | 3:01.94 |
| 2019 | Good to Firm | 8 | Logician | 4 | 3 | 9 1 | 1111 | 24 days | J & T Gosden | Frankie Dettori | 5/ 6 | 3:00.27 |
| 2018 | Good | 12 | Kew Gardens | 8 | 3 | 9 1 | 329113 | 24 days | A P O'Brien | Ryan Moore | 3/ 1 | 3:03.34 |
| 2017 | Good to Soft | 11 | Capri | 9 | 3 | 9 1 | 13-4361 | 77 days | A P O'Brien | Ryan Moore | 3/ 1 | 3:04.04 |
| 2016 | Good | 9 | Harbour Law | 9 | 3 | 9 1 | 21124 | 65 days | Mrs L J Mongan | G Baker | 22/ 1 | 3:05.48 |
| 2015 | Good | 7 | Simple Verse | 1 | 3 | 8 12 | 631211 | 44 days | R M Beckett | Andrea Atzeni | 8/ 1 | 3:07.15 |
| 2014 | Good | 12 | Kingston Hill | 4 | 3 | 9 1 | 111-824 | 70 days | R Varian | Andrea Atzeni | 9/ 4 | 3:05.42 |
| 2013 | Good to Soft | 11 | Leading Light | 7 | 3 | 9 0 | 41-111 | 85 days | A P O'Brien | Joseph O'Brien | 7/ 2 | 3:09.20 |
| 2012 | Good | 9 | Encke | 1 | 3 | 9 0 | 21-123 | 24 days | M Al Zarooni | Mickael Barzalona | 25/ 1 | 3:03.81 |
| 2011 | Good to Firm | 9 | Masked Marvel | 3 | 3 | 9 0 | 16-5181 | 65 days | J & T Gosden | William Buick | 15/ 2 | 3:00.44 |
| 2010 | Good | 10 | Arctic Cosmos | 8 | 3 | 9 0 | 4-13123 | 46 days | J & T Gosden | William Buick | 12/ 1 | 3:03.12 |
| 2009 | Good to Firm | 8 | Mastery | 7 | 3 | 9 0 | 3-41332 | 25 days | S bin Suroor | Ted Durcan | 14/ 1 | 3:04.81 |
| 2008 | Soft | 46 | Conduit | 5 | 3 | 9 0 | 31-3121 | 46 days | Sir Michael Stoute | Frankie Dettori | 8/ 1 | 3:07.92 |
| 2007 | Good to Firm | 10 | Lucarno | 8 | 3 | 9 0 | 114241 | 25 days | J & T Gosden | J Fortune | 7/ 2 | 3:01.90 |
| 2006 | Good | 12 | Sixties Icon | 11 | 3 | 9 0 | 61731 | 39 days | J Noseda | Frankie Dettori | 11/ 8 | 2:57.29 |
| 2005 | Heavy | 7 | Scorpion | 2 | 3 | 9 0 | 12021 | 58 days | A P O'Brien | Frankie Dettori | 10/ 11 | 3:19.01 |
The trials and the road to Doncaster
The Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, over a mile and a half in August, has featured 12 of the last 30 St Leger winners. This season’s renewal was won by the Arc-bound Maltese Cross, but the Aidan O’Brien-trained second and third, Pierre Bonnard and Derby winner Christmas Day, look set to renew rivalry, with the latter the current St Leger favourite. Christmas Day will meet his stablemate on 5lb better terms at Doncaster for a two-and-a-quarter-length defeat when carrying a Group 1 penalty.
Seven of the last 26 St Leger winners contested the Group 3 Gordon Stakes over a mile and a half at the Qatar Goodwood Festival. It was won this year by the Joseph O’Brien-trained Enceladus, who is the current second favourite for the St Leger.
The Group 2 Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot has become an important St Leger trial since being shortened to a mile and six furlongs in 2017, with Kew Gardens and Eldar Eldarov completing the Royal Ascot-Doncaster double. The Charlie Appleby-trained Del Maro was defeated by a nose in the Queen’s Vase and is set to take his chance on Town Moor.
Twelve of the last 29 Leger winners ran in the Derby at Epsom, while the Irish Derby has featured seven St Leger winners in the last 28 years. Christmas Day finished ahead of Pierre Bonnard at level weights in both those Classics.
Betting angles
Positives and Negatives for finding the winner of the St Leger
- Positives:
- The favourite
- A top-three finish in the Queen’s Vase
- A top-four finish in the Great Voltigeur Stakes
- Trained by Aidan O’Brien
- Owned by Godolphin
- Contested the Derby, Irish Derby, King Edward VII Stakes or Gordon Stakes
- Fillies
- Negatives:
- By a sire with a stamina index of under 9.4f
St Leger tips
Sky Sports Racing's Senior Form Analyst Jamie Lynch has taken a long-range look at the Betfred St Leger and revealed his big-race fancy on our dedicated St Leger Festival site. We'll also have tips on Leger Day from award-winning writer Kevin Blake and Sky Sports Racing pundit Declan Rix, plus ante-post analysis from Gary Nutting.
There will also be a horse-by-horse guide to the Leger, along with the other feature contests at the Festival, with Sky Sports Racing experts analysing every runner and giving their tips and verdicts for the big races.
How to watch and follow
You can watch every race from Doncaster at the St Leger Festival on Thursday 10, Friday 11, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September live on Sky Sports Racing. The feature race, the Betfred St Leger, is scheduled for 3.35pm BST on Saturday 12 September. Viewers can watch the action from Doncaster on Sky channel 415 and Virgin channel 512.
At The Races has a dedicated microsite for the St Leger Festival, featuring top tips and horse-by-horse guides from our team of experts, stats guides, trends analysis, betting edges, features, racecards and odds, as well as all the latest news and race replays from Doncaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the St Leger?
The St Leger at Doncaster Racecourse is the oldest of Britain’s five Classic races, having first been run in 1776. It is the final British Classic of the season and the world’s oldest Classic.
How far is the St Leger?
The St Leger is run over one mile, six furlongs and 115 yards, making it the longest of Britain’s five Classics.
Why is it called the St Leger?
The race is named after Anthony St Leger, an army officer and politician who devised the contest in 1776.
What is the Triple Crown in horse racing?
The Triple Crown in Britain is won by a three-year-old that wins the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the St Leger in the same season.
When is the St Leger 2026?
The 2026 St Leger will take place at Doncaster Racecourse on Saturday, 12 September, as part of the four-day St Leger Festival.
How do you bet on the St Leger?
You can bet on the St Leger and other Doncaster races at attheraces.com and our St Leger Festival site via our Doncaster racecards, where you’ll also find the latest free bets and exclusive bookmaker offers.
What is the Doncaster races dress code?
The Doncaster Racecourse dress code depends on the enclosure you are attending, with different rules for different areas. Racegoers should check the official Doncaster Racecourse dress code for their specific enclosure before travelling to the racecourse.