St Leger Stakes

The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 race run under Set Weight conditions for the three year olds at Doncaster conducted by the Doncaster Racecourse.

The St Leger Stakes is run over a mile, six furlongs and 115 yards. It was first run in 1776 and was won by Allabaculia.

The race is actually the oldest of the five Classics and open to the colts and the fillies. It forms the final leg of both sexes Triple Crowns (see later).

It was originated by a prominent local army and political figure Anthony St Leger who was a resident near Doncaster and so they used his name.

The St Leger Stakes banned geldings from competing in 1906.

The race was moved during the war years and competed for but some are recognised differently. They were even renamed as the September Stakes at Newmarket (1915–18), the Yorkshire St Leger Stakes at Thirsk (1940), the New St Leger Stakes at Manchester (1941), the New St Leger Stakes at Newmarket (1942–44) and in 1945 the St Leger Stakes at York.

Those colts to complete the Triple Crown by winning the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and St Leger are:- Nijinsky (1970), Bahram (1935), Gainsborough (1918), Gay Crusader (1917), Pommern (1915), Rock Sand (1903), Diamond Jubilee (1900), Flying Fox (1899), Galtee More (1897), Isinglass (1893), Common (1891), Ormonde (1886), Lord Lyon (1866), Gladiateur (1865) and West Australian (1853).

Historians have question marks over the war times wins of Gainsborough, Gay Crusader and Pommern as there was much impact on racing at the time and held at Newmarket.

Camelot failed to win the Triple Crown in 2012 when second. The previous failed Triple Crown attempt for the colts was 1931.

Those fillies to complete the Triple Crown by winning the 1000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and St Leger are:- Oh So Sharp (1985), Meld (1955), Sun Chariot (1942), Pretty Polly (1904), Sceptre (1902), La Fleche (1892), Apology (1874), Hannah (1871) and Formosa (1868).

Simple Verse was first over the line in 2015 but Bondi Beach was awarded the race in the Steward's room. However an appeal to the offices of the British Horseracing Authority was successful in reinstating the filly as the winner.

Ballydoyle won another Leger in 2017 with the favourite Capri but the fourth horse Rekindling would head to Australia and win the Melbourne Cup as a 3yo for Joseph O'Brien.

Logician was Frankie Dettori's sixth and John Gosden's fifth St Leger in 2019.

Bill Scott has most jockey wins with nine while his brother John Scott trained an amazing 16 winners of the Leger.

In an amazing twist, Tom Marquand won his first classic in 2020 when he landed the Leger on Galileo Chrome after the horse's regular rider Shane Crosse tested positive for COVID-19 the day before.

Hurricane Lane made it three G1 wins in a row in 2021 adding the Leger to his Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris.

The 2022 St Leger was delayed by one day as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II earlier that week.

The St Leger Stakes was worth £700,000 in 2024.

Notable winners of the St Leger Stakes include Jan Brueghel (2024), Hurricane Lane (2021), Logician (2019), Simple Verse (2015), Kingston Hill (2014), Leading Light (2013), Mastery (2009), Conduit (2008), Scorpion (2005), Mutafaweq (1999), Classic Cliche (1995), Oh So Sharp (1985), Commanche Run (1984), Nijinsky (1970), St Paddy (1960), Ballymoss (1957), Meld (1955), Sun Chariot (1942), Bahram (1935), Windsor Lad (1934), Hyperion (1933), Gainsborough (1918), Gay Crusader (1917), Pommern (1915), Pretty Polly (1904), Rock Sand (1903), Sceptre (1902), Diamond Jubilee (1900), Flying Fox (1899), Galtee More (1897), Isinglass (1893), La Fleche (1892), Common (1891), Ormonde (1886), Apology (1874), Hannah (1871), Formosa (1868), Lord Lyon (1866), Gladiateur (1865) and West Australian (1853).

The 2024 St Leger Stakes was won by Jan Brueghel from Illinois and Sunway.