AJC St Leger

St Leger Stakes (ATC)

1933 winner – Peter Pan
Class	Group 3
Location	Randwick Racecourse, Sydney
Inaugurated	1841
Race type	Thoroughbred – flat
Sponsor	The Star (2024)
Race information
Distance	2,600 metres (~1 5/8 miles)
Surface	turf
Track	right-handed
Qualification	three years and older
Weight	set weights with penalties
Purse	A$500,000 (2024)

The AJC St Leger is an historical Australian Turf Club Thoroughbred horse race run over 2,600 metres (~1 5/8 miles) at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, run under set weights with penalties for stayers three years and older.

History

1907 winner – Poseidon

1930 winner – Phar Lap & Jim Pike

1937 winner – Gold Rod

1941 winner – Lucrative

The AJC St Leger is the oldest classic race in Australia derived from the English race, first run in 1841 as a 3-year-old (3YO) event over 1½ miles at Homebush, Sydney and continued at the new Randwick Racecourse in 1861. Not run in 1854 & 1860 nor 1960–1979, or 2002–2016. ^[1]

The principal race was re-instated by the AJC Committee again in 1980 graded at Group 2 level, encouraged by a direct descendent of Major General Anthony St Leger who instigated the St Leger Stakes, first run at Doncaster Racecourse in Northern England in 1776. ^[2]

The race ended in 2001 and reappeared as the St Leger Stakes (ATC) in late 2017 with the expanded 15 million Everest carnival in October and since being reinstated has not received graded status until 2024. ^[3]

Winners include Sky Heights (2001), Tie The Knot (2000), Linesman (1996), Castletown (1991), Tawrrific (1989), Beau Zam (1988), Handy Proverb (1986), Gurner's Lane (1982),Tulloch (1958), Sailor's Guide (1956), Hydrogen (1952), Playboy (1950), Carbon Copy (1949), Gold Rod (1937), Peter Pan (1933), Phar Lap (1930), Limerick (1927), Windbag (1925), Prince Foote (1910), Poseidon (1907) and Newhaven (1897). ^[4]

Distance

• 1841–1859 – 11⁄2 miles (~2400 metres)
• 1861–1959 – 13⁄4 miles (~2800 metres)
• 1980–2000 – 2800 metres
• 2001 onwards – 2600 metres (~1 5/8 miles)

Grade

• 1841–1979 – Principal race
• 1980–2001 – Group 2
• 2018–2023 – Non graded
• 2024 onwards – Group 3

1930, 1932, and 1933 racebooks

• 
  1930 AJC St Leger racebook front cover
• 
  1930 AJC St Leger showing raceday officials
• 
  1930 St Leger showing the winner, Phar Lap
• 
  Back cover showing charges at the entrance gates
• 
  1932 AJC St Leger racebook showing the winner, Middle Watch
• 
  1932 AJC St Leger racebook starters and results
• 
  1933 AJC St Leger racebook front cover
• 
  1933 AJC St Leger starters & results showing the winner, Peter Pan

Winners

• 2024 – Athabascan ^[5]
• 2023 – Land Legend ^[6]
• 2022 – Stockman ^[7]
• 2021 – Warning ^[8]
• 2020 – Fun Fact ^[9]
• 2019 – Hush Writer ^[10]
• 2018 – Big Blue ^[11]
• 2017 – Big Duke ^[12]
• 2002–2016 – Race not held
• 2001 – Sky Heights
• 2000 – Tie The Knot
• 1999 – Inshallah
• 1998 – Bridleman
• 1997 – Interval
• 1996 – Linesman
• 1995 – Beaux Art
• 1994 – Gold Sovereign
• 1993 – Te Akau Nick
• 1992 – Tuff Enuff
• 1991 – Castletown
• 1990 – Chaleyer
• 1989 – Tawrrific
• 1988 – Beau Zam
• 1987 – Argonaut Style
• 1986 – Handy Proverb
• 1985 – Duanettes Girl
• 1984 – Port Fair
• 1983 – Forward Charge
• 1982 – Gurner's Lane
• 1981 – November Rain
• 1980 – Shogun
• 1960–1979 – Race not held
• 1959 – Bardshah
• 1958 – Tulloch
• 1957 – Monte Carlo
• 1956 – Sailor's Guide
• 1955 – Pride Of Egypt
• 1954 – Monarch
• 1953 – Sea Sovereign
• 1952 – Hydrogen
• 1951 – Aristocrat
• 1950 – Playboy
• 1949 – Carbon Copy
• 1948 – Cronides
• 1947 – Vigaro
• 1946 – Gay Lad
• 1945 – Accession
• 1944 – Mayfowl
• 1943 – Modulation
• 1942 – Its Funny
• 1941 – Lucrative
• 1940 – Reading
• 1939 – Mosaic
• 1938 – John Wilkes
• 1937 – Gold Rod
• 1936 – Allunga
• 1935 – Sylvandale
• 1934 – Limarch
• 1933 – Peter Pan
• 1932 – Middle Watch
• 1931 – Veilmond
• 1930 – Phar Lap
• 1929 – Strephon
• 1928 – Winalot
• 1927 – Limerick
• 1926 – Belgamba
• 1925 – Windbag
• 1924 – Lady Valais
• 1923 – Sir Andrew
• 1922 – Harvest King
• 1921 – Salitros
• 1920 – Millieme
• 1919 – Finmark
• 1918 – Prince Viridis
• 1917 – Thana
• 1916 – Kandos
• 1915 – Mountain Knight
• 1914 – Radnor
• 1913 – Wolawa
• 1912 – Jacamar
• 1911 – Cadonia
• 1910 – Prince Foote
• 1909 – Lord Nolan
• 1908 – Mountain King
• 1907 – Poseidon
• 1906 – Lady Wallace
• 1905 – Dividend
• 1904 – Emir
• 1903 – Abundance
• 1902 – Sir Leonard
• 1901 – Clean Sweep
• 1900 – Parthian
• 1899 – Johansen
• 1898 – Amberite
• 1897 – Newhaven
• 1896 – Wallace
• 1895 – Cobbity
• 1894 – The Sailor Prince
• 1893 – Camoola
• 1892 – La Tosca
• 1891 – Correze
• 1890 – Dreadnought
• 1889 – Melos
• 1888 – Abercorn
• 1887 – Trident
• 1886 – Matchlock
• 1885 – Silver King
• 1884 – Legrand
• 1883 – Navigator
• 1882 – Wheatear
• 1881 – Progress
• 1880 – Petrea
• 1879 – Bosworth
• 1878 – Cap-A-Pie
• 1877 – Robinson Crusoe
• 1876 – Robin Hood
• 1875 – Kingsborough
• 1874 – Goldsbrough
• 1873 – Commodore
• 1872 – Hamlet
• 1871 – Lady Clifden
• 1870 – Moselle
• 1869 – Coquette
• 1868 – Glencoe
• 1867 – Fishhook
• 1866 – The Pitsford
• 1865 – Yattendon
• 1864 – Ramornie
• 1863 – Regno
• 1862 – Exeter
• 1861 – Alfred
• 1860 – Race not held
• 1859 – The Don
• 1858 – Chevalier
• 1857 – Lauristina
• 1856 – Stumpy
• 1855 – Bay Camden
• 1854 – Race not held
• 1853 – Cooramin
• 1852 – Surplice
• 1851 – Plover
• 1850 – Cossack
• 1849 – Pastile
• 1848 – Snake
• 1847 – Whalebone
• 1846 – Lady Theorem
• 1845 – Peter From Athlone
• 1844 – Blue Bonnet
• 1843 – Marchioness
• 1842 – Beeswing
• 1841 – Eleanor

References

1. Racing in Australia. "Beginning of Horse Racing". www.tbheritage.com. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
2. St Leger Stakes (ATC). "St Leger Stakes History". www.racingandsports.com. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
3. The Everest Carnival. "The Everest". www.theeverest.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
4. AJC St Leger. "St Leger Past Winners". pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
5. "2024 Result – The Star St Leger Stakes (held 19 October 2024)". racingpost.com. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
6. "2023 Result – Moët & Chandon St Leger Stakes (held 14 October 2023)". racingpost.com. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
7. "2022 Result – The Star St Leger Stakes (held 15 October 2022)". racing.com. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
8. "2021 Result – Bentley St Leger Stakes (held 16 October 2021)". racing.com. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
9. "2020 Result – Bentley St Leger Stakes (held 17 October 2020)". racing.com. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
10. "2019 Result – Bentley St Leger Stakes (held 19 October 2019)". racing.com. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
11. "2018 Result – Bisley Workwear St Leger Stakes (held 13 October 2018)". racing.com. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
12. "2017 Result – Heineken St Leger Stakes (held 14 October 2017)". racing.com. Retrieved 17 September 2021.