The flat horse racing season of 2025 may be coming to an end, but it is not quite over just yet. There are still a few meetings, events, and competitions that you wouldn’t want to miss if you are a true horse racing enthusiast.
One such event in the month of September that everyone is looking forward to is the St. Leger Festival. Conducted at the Doncaster Racecourse and running as usually for four days, this year it falls between Thursday, 11 September and Sunday, 14 September. It will open with the British Stallion Studs “Carrie Red’ EBF Fillies” Nursery Handicap Stakes and will close with the Land Of Lights Festival At Gulliver’s Handicap Stakes. A total of 30 races will be conducted over the course of 4 days.
The highlight of the event that also gave birth to the entire Festival, St. Leger Stakes, will take place on Saturday, 13 September. This horse race that was established in 1776 closes the season for the British Classic Races.
Key Dates & Timings
The St. Leger Festival 2025 will be conducted in the second week of September and last for four days. The first two days will include eight races each, while the third and the fourth days will have seven races each. Day one is a dedicated Ladies’ Day, day two goes under the name of Doncaster Cup Day, day three is called St. Leger Day, while day four is referred to as Leger Legends Sunday.
Day One: Ladies’ Day
- When: Thursday, 11 September
- Gate opening: 11:15 am
- First race: 1:15 pm
- Headline race: 3:00 pm
- Last race: 7:15 pm
Day Two: Doncaster Cup Day
- When: Friday, 12 September
- Gate opening: 11:15 am
- First race: 1:15 pm
- Headline race: 3:00 pm
- Last race: 5:20 pm
Day Three: St. Leger Day
- When: Saturday, 13 September
- Gate opening: 10:45 am
- First race: 1:15 pm
- Headline race: 3:40 pm
- Last race: 5:23 pm
Day Four: Leger Legends Sunday
- When: Sunday, 14 September
- Gate opening: 11:50 am
- First race: 1:50 pm
- Headline race: 3:35 pm
- Last race: 5:20 pm
The daily race cards for the Festival are as follows:
Thursday, 11 September
Going: soft
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:15 pm | THE BRITISH STALLION STUDS ‘CARRIE RED’ EBF FILLIES’ NURSERY HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (CL 2) | 6f 111y | 2YO £55,000.00 |
| 1:50 pm | THE WEATHERBYS SCIENTIFIC £300,000 2-Y-O STAKES (CLASS 2) (GBB RACE) (CL 2) | 6f 111y | 2YO £300,000.00 |
| 2:25 pm | THE BETFRED MAY HILL STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 1m | 2YO £120,000.00 |
| 3:00 pm | THE BETFRED PARK HILL FILLIES’ STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 1m 6f 115y | 3YO+ £150,000.00 |
| 3:35 pm | THE ODDSCHECKER HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 1m 2f 43y | 3YO £70,000.00 Rating 86-105 |
| 4:10 pm | THE JHA ARCHITECTURE NURSERY HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 3) (CL 3) | 7f 6y | 2YO £35,000.00 Rating 0-90 |
| 4:43 pm | THE YATES DRYWALL LTD NURSERY HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 3) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 3) | 1m | 2YO £35,000.00 Rating 0-90 |
| 5:15 pm | THE WINNERS WEAR SKOPES MENSWEAR HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 3) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 3) | 1m 3f 197y | 3YO+ £35,000.00 Rating 71-90 |
Friday, 12 September
Going: soft
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:15 pm | THE BETFRED MALLARD HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 1m 6f 115y | 3YO+ £70,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
| 1:50 pm | THE BETFRED FLYING SCOTSMAN STAKES (CLASS 1) (Listed Race) (CL 1) | 7f 6y | 2YO £65,000.00 |
| 2:25 pm | THE CARLSBERG DANISH PILSNER FLYING CHILDERS STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 5f 3y | 2YO £130,000.00 |
| 3:00 pm | THE BETFRED HOWARD WRIGHT DONCASTER CUP STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 2m 1f 197y | 3YO+ £150,000.00 |
| 3:40 pm | THE BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF PREMIER FILLIES’ HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 1m 3f 197y | 3YO+ £70,000.00 Rating 0-100 |
| 4:10 pm | THE COOPERS MARQUEES EBF MAIDEN FILLIES’ STAKES (CLASS 2) (GBB RACE) (CL 2) | 7f 6y | 2YO £40,000.00 |
| 4:45 pm | THE TANBURY CONSTRUCTION ‘CONFINED’ NURSERY HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4) (For horses with no more than one win) (CL 4) | 6f 2y | 2YO £25,000.00 Rating 0-85 |
| 5:20 pm | THE DANUM HOMES EXCELLENCE IN BUILD APPRENTICE HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4) (CL 4) | 6f 2y | 3YO+ £22,000.00 Rating 66-85 |
Saturday, 13 September
Going: soft
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:15 pm | THE PJ TOWEY CONSTRUCTION HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (CL 2) | 1m | 3YO+ £70,000.00 |
| 1:50 pm | THE BETFRED CHAMPAGNE STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 7f 6y | 2YO £150,000.00 |
| 2:25 pm | THE BETFRED PORTLAND (Class 2 Heritage Handicap) (CL 2) | 5f 143y | 3YO+ £100,000.00 |
| 3:00 pm | THE BETFRED PARK STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 2) (CL 1) | 7f 6y | 3YO+ £140,000.00 |
| 3:40 pm | THE BETFRED ST LEGER STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 1) (CL 1) | 1m 6f 115y | 3YO £700,000.00 |
| 4:15 pm | THE BRITISH STALLION STUDS EBF MAIDEN STAKES (CLASS 2) (Winner receives free entry to The 2026 Betfred St Leger) (GBB/GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 1m | 2YO £50,000.00 |
| 4:50 pm | THE MASTIFF MANOR HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 2) | 1m 2f 43y | 3YO+ £70,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
Sunday, 14 September
Going: soft
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 1:55 pm | THE I LOVE JULIE PARKES HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4) (GBBPLUS RACE) (CL 4) | 1m 2f 43y | 3YO+ £22,000.00 Rating 59-78 |
| 2:30 pm | THE BETFRED CITY OF DONCASTER HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (CL 2) | 7f 6y | 3YO £65,000.00 Rating 0-100 |
| 3:00 pm | THE BETFRED “THE CLASSIC BOOKMAKER” HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 2) (CL 2) | 6f 111y | 4YO+ £70,000.00 Rating 0-105 |
| 3:35 pm | THE LEGER LEGENDS CLASSIFIED STAKES (CLASS 5) (CL 5) | 1m | 3YO+ £22,000.00 Rating 0-70 |
| 4:10 pm | THE JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION SCEPTRE FILLIES’ STAKES (CLASS 1) (Group 3) (CL 1) | 7f 6y | 3YO+ £85,000.00 |
| 4:40 pm | THE PERTEMPS NETWORK HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 3) (CL 3) | 5f 3y | 3YO+ £35,000.00 Rating 71-90 |
| 5:18 pm | THE LAND OF LIGHTS FESTIVAL AT GULLIVER’S HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4) (CL 4) | 5f 3y | 3YO+ £22,000.00 Rating 59-78 |
How to Buy Tickets
Tickets for the St. Leger Festival 2025 are on sale. Doncaster Racecourse offers multiple options for each day as well as full event tickets. Prices vary from £15 to £166 depending on the enclosure you choose. Keep in mind that prices for the same venue may be different on different days of the event, so check them in advance before buying.
Four most popular options during the St. Leger Festival are the Picnic, the Grandstand, the County, and the Premier. From a cozy, family friendly lawn to the best views of the races and access to pre-parade and parade rings, you will find an option that suits your wishes and your budget the best.
If you would like to combine your day at the races with a fine dining experience, you better hurry to purchase a hospitality package, as several restaurants on the venue have already been fully booked.
Travel & Transport Guide
The St. Leger Festival is conducted at the Doncaster Racecourse located at the following address: Bawtry Rd, Doncaster DN2 6BB, United Kingdom. You can reach your destination by various means of transportation from different directions.
By Car
Some of the motorways that will bring you to the Doncaster Racecourse are M1 (Junction 32), M18 (Junctions 3 & 4), A1M (Junction 36), and the M62. While Car Park C is normally offered to all guests free of charge, on the days of the Festival fees apply. Car Park A has limited access and is only available to certain guests as well as race participants.
By Bus
Shuttle buses run between the Doncaster Racecourse and Doncaster Interchange on most race days. The first bus from the Interchange will depart around the time the racecourse gates open and the last one will make the trip approximately 30 minutes prior to the start of the first race.
You can make your return trip after the penultimate race or any time around one hour after the last race is over. On the days when live entertainment follows horse racing, shuttle buses run until the end of the entire event. Fare is £3 for a single journey and £5 for a return.
By Air
If you are flying in, you will find that the Doncaster Racecourse is very conveniently located within the reach of several airports. While the Doncaster Sheffield Airport is only 7 miles away, you can also easily reach the venue from Manchester, Leeds Bradford, and East Midlands airports.
Headline Races at the St. Leger Festival
The St. Leger Festival includes 30 races distributed over 4 days of the event. The variety of conditions, tracks, and runners caters to different interests and preferences of all Doncaster Racecourse visitors.
The Park Hill Stakes (Thursday, 1 September)
The Park Hill Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race that accepts fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run over the distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 115 yards (2,922 metres).
The race was established in 1839 and named after the estate formerly owned by the founder of the St. Leger Stakes, Anthony St. Leger. In 1971, when the modern race grading system was introduced in Britain, the Park Hill Stakes was awarded the Group 2 status but was relegated to Group 3 in 1991. It regained its status of Group 2 in 2004.
Currently, there are 17 runners announced to compete in this year’s race, but this number may change before the day of the race. Jockeys for the race are still awaiting confirmation.
The current full list of contenders and their trainers runs as follows:
- Chorus (age 4, trainer William Haggas)
- Consent (age 3, trainer Sir Mark Prescott)
- Crepe Suzette (age 3, trainer John & Thady Gosden)
- Danielle (age 4, trainer John & Thady Gosden)
- Elana Osario (age 4, trainer Paddy Twomey)
- Eternal Spirit (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Floresta (age 3, trainer Johnny Murtagh)
- Goodie Two Shoes (age 6, trainer Joseph O’Brien)
- Island Hopping (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Nuit (age 3, trainer Henry de Bromhead)
- Queens Fort (age 4, trainer John & Thady Gosden)
- Santorini Star (age 4, trainer William Haggas)
- Secret Of Love (age 3, trainer Andrew Balding)
- Siege Of Troy (age 4, trainer Johnny Murtagh)
- Strassia (age 4, trainer David O’Meara)
- Two For Joy (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Zilfee (age 4, trainer John & Thady Gosden)
Doncaster Cup (Friday, 12 September)
Doncaster Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race that accepts both male and female horses aged three years or older. It is run over the distance of 2 miles 1 furlong and 197 yards (3,600 metres).
Originally called Doncaster Gold Cup, it was established in 1766, which makes it the oldest surviving race run at the Doncaster Racecourse. When the modern race grading system was introduced in Britain in 1971, Doncaster Cup was classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Grade 2 in 2003.
As of now, no entries have been announced for this year’s Doncaster Cup. We will update the article as soon as any information is available.
St. Leger Stakes (Saturday, 13 September)
St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race that accepts both colts and fillies aged three years. It is run over the distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 115 yards (2,921 metres). St. Leger Stakes is the race that was the origin of the entire festival.
Established in 1776, St. Leger is the oldest of the five British Classic Races and chronologically the last one in the season. It is also part of the English Triple Crown, together with the 2000 Guineas and the Derby.
Currently, there are 15 runners announced to compete in this year’s race, but this number may change before the day of the race. Jockeys for the race are still awaiting confirmation.
The current full list of contenders and their trainers runs as follows:
- Arabian Force (age 3, trainer William Haggas)
- Carmers (age 3, trainer Paddy Twomey)
- Furthur (age 3, trainer Andrew Balding)
- Galveston (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Lambourn (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Lazy Griff (age 3, trainer Charlie Johnston)
- Rahiebb (age 3, trainer Roger Varian)
- Saratoga (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Scandinavia (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Shackleton (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Stay True (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Tarriance (age 3, trainer Andrew Balding)
- Tennessee Stud (age 3, trainer Joseph O’Brien)
- Thrice (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
- Minnie Hauk (age 3, trainer Aidan O’Brien)
The Leger Legends Classified Stakes (Sunday, 14 September)
The Leger Legends Stakes is a Class 5 flat horse race that accepts both colts and fillies aged three years or older. It is run over the distance of 1 mile (1,600 metres). It is the only charity horse race in Britain that accepts ex-professional jockeys.
While the inaugural run of the Leger Legends Stakes took place in 2010, it was in 2023 that for the first time, it took place on the fourth and last day of the St. Leger Festival and became its feature race, attracting a lot of attention.
As of now, no entries have been announced for this year’s Leger Legends Stakes. We will update the article as soon as any information is available.
Betting at St. Leger Festival
Of course, such a significant event of the flat horse racing season attracts the attention of the horse racing community as well as bookmakers and bettors. All 30 races of the St. Leger Festival will be open to betting. Most major bookmaking platforms that offer horse racing markets will be accepting wagers. Betting will also be available at the venue.
At 7bet, we offer a wide range of horse race betting markets both for domestic and international events.
Please note that odds for the St. Leger Festival will be available closer to the event date.
Betting at the St. Leger Festival includes various horse betting markets, with some of the most popular being:
- Win: Your goal here is to predict the horse who will reach the finish line first and take the victory home. If the horse you backed does finish first, your wager will win.
- Place: This bet comes in handy when you think that the horse you would like to back has a really good chance to win the race but faces an equally capable opponent. Under this bet your horse has to be placed in the top two to four (depending on the number of runners) in a single race.
- First Two (or First Three): If you would like to bet on all winning places, you can use this betting market. Here you have to name the first two (or three) horses to come to the finish line, as well as predict the right order in which they will do it.
- Two From Three: This bet is similar to the previous one but involves a little less risk. Your task is to name two out of the three horses to reach the finish first. They may come to the finish line in any order, that won’t affect your wager.
Always remember to gamble responsibly and treat betting as a form of entertainment and not means for financial gain.
St. Legery Stakes Past Winners
The list of the St. Legery Stakes past winners includes generations of highly skilled racing horses and talented jockeys. The horses who won the St. Legery Stakes in the past 24 years since 2000 were the following:
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 2000 | Millenary | Richard Quinn | John Dunlop | Neil Jones |
| 2001 | Milan | Michael Kinane | Aidan O’Brien | Tabor / Magnier |
| 2002 | Bollin Eric | Kevin Darley | Tim Easterby | Sir Neil Westbrook |
| 2003 | Brian Boru | Jamie Spencer | Aidan O’Brien | Sue Magnier |
| 2004 | Rule of Law | Kerrin McEvoy | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin |
| 2005 | Scorpion | Frankie Dettori | Aidan O’Brien | Magnier / Tabor |
| 2006 | Sixties Icon | Frankie Dettori | Jeremy Noseda | Susan Roy |
| 2007 | Lucarno | Jimmy Fortune | John Gosden | George Strawbridge |
| 2008 | Conduit | Frankie Dettori | Sir Michael Stoute | Ballymacoll Stud |
| 2009 | Mastery | Ted Durcan | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin |
| 2010 | Arctic Cosmos | William Buick | John Gosden | Hood / Geffen |
| 2011 | Masked Marvel | William Buick | John Gosden | Bjorn Nielsen |
| 2012 | Encke | Mickael Barzalona | Mahmood Al Zarooni | Godolphin |
| 2013 | Leading Light | Joseph O’Brien | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor |
| 2014 | Kingston Hill | Andrea Atzeni | Roger Varian | Paul Smith |
| 2015 | Simple Verse | Andrea Atzeni | Ralph Beckett | QRL / Al Thani / Al Kubaisi |
| 2016 | Harbour Law | George Baker | Laura Mongan | Jackie Cornwell |
| 2017 | Capri | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor |
| 2018 | Kew Gardens | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor |
| 2019 | Logician | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Khalid Abdullah |
| 2020 | Galileo Chrome | Tom Marquand | Joseph O’Brien | Galileo Chrome Partnership |
| 2021 | Hurricane Lane | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | Godolphin |
| 2022 | Eldar Eldarov | David Egan | Roger Varian | KHK Racing |
| 2023 | Continuous | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | Tabor / Smith / Magnier et al. |
| 2024 | Jan Brueghel | Sean Levey | Aidan O’Brien | Westerberg / Tabor / Smith / Magnier |
Last year’s winner bay colt Jan Brueghel brought his trainer, the famed Aidan O’Brien, his eighth win at St. Leger Stakes. It was Jan Brueghel’s fourth and last run during the 2024 season. He aced all of them and finished in first place. He had a mixed 2025 season but won’t be appearing at this year’s St. Leger again due to age restrictions.
St. Legery Stakes Records
While it is impossible for any horse to win the St. Leger Stakes more than once, as only 3 year olds are allowed into the race, there are a number of jockeys, trainers, and owners who managed to bag this achievement.
- Leading jockey: Bill Scott with 9 wins (1821, 1825, 1828, 1829, 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1846)
- Leading trainer: John Scott with 16 wins (1827, 1828, 1829, 1832, 1834, 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1845, 1851, 1853, 1856, 1857, 1859, 1862)
- Leading owner: Archibald Hamilton, 9th Duke of Hamilton with 7 wins (1786, 1787, 1788, 1792, 1808, 1809, 1814)
Other interesting records that have taken place throughout the history of the St. Leger Stakes are as follows:
- Fastest winning time at Doncaster: Logician (2019), 3m 00.27s
- Widest winning margin: Never Say Die (1954), 12 lengths
- Longest odds winner: Theodore (1822), 200/1
- Shortest odds winner: Galtee More (1897), 1/10
- Most runners: 30, in 1825
- Fewest runners: 3, in 1917
Betting is only available to participants above 18 years. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org