Dubai: The 2013 renewal of the St Leger Festival, a four-day extravaganza that showcases high-quality racing and entertainment, kicks off on Wednesday at Doncaster racecourse in England.
The festival opens with a unique ‘Legends’ race and culminates on Saturday with the Group 1 £600,000 St Leger, the world’s oldest Classic and the most prestigious event staged at the oldest established centre for horseracing in Britain, which dates back to the 16th century.
Open to three-year-old colts and fillies, the Leger is run over a distance of 2,900 metres. It is also the final leg of the English Triple Crown, which includes the 2,000 Guineas (G1) and Epsom Derby (G1) and also completes the Fillies’ Triple Crown, following on from the 1,000 Guineas (G1) and the Oaks (G1).
Godolphin is the most successful owner in the race with six wins including Encke (2012), Mastery (2009), Rule of Law (2004), Mutafaweq (1999), Nedawi (1998) and Classic Cliche (1995). The stable has three possibles contenders for Saturday’s big race, headlined by Epsom Derby runner-up Libertarian, alongside Great Voltigeur (G2) third Secret Number and Cap O’Rushes, a winner of the Gordon Stakes (G3) at Glorious Goodwood.
The Leger meeting also features several high-class supporting races, with notable highlights being the Scarbrough Stakes on the Crown Hotel Bawtry Opening Day on Wednesday, the Park Hill Stakes on DFS Ladies’ Day (Thursday), the Doncaster Cup on Doncaster Cup Day (Friday) and the Champagne Stakes and Park Stakes on St Leger Day (Saturday).
Some of the most popular and successful jockeys of the past will once again don racing silks to compete in the Legends Classified Stakes on Wednesday, a charity race being staged for the fourth time at the festival.
The line-up features former British champion jockey Kevin Darley, Carl Llewellyn, who won the Grand National on Party Politics in 1992 and Earth Summit in 1998, and Epsom Derby-winning jockeys Michael Hills, John Reid and Willie Ryan.
Willie Supple, who partnered more than 800 winners during an illustrious career spanning more than 25 years, many of which were spent in Dubai, where he holds the record for most winners (75) in a season, will also make a welcome return to the saddle.
Another notable rider in the field of 16 is Gay Kelleway, who made history when she became the first woman to ride a winner at Royal Ascot.
Professional Jockeys’ Association’s Industry Liaison Officer Dale Gibson, who has organised the event and will also be participating, said: “I’m very happy with the jockeys we have got riding this year. It has always been ideal to refresh as many participants as possible each year and obviously some people become available and some become unavailable.”
The opening day’s action also features the Listed Scarbrough Stakes over five furlongs.
