Doncaster Racecourse

Last updated

Doncaster
Doncaster racecourse logo.jpg
Location Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Owned by Arena Leisure Plc
Screened on Sky Sports Racing
Course type Flat
National Hunt, Left-handed
Notable races Doncaster Cup
St. Leger Stakes
Lincoln Handicap
Official website
1851 engraving Doncaster Racecourse00.jpg
1851 engraving
Doncaster Racecourse Grandstand Doncaster Racecourse 1.jpg
Doncaster Racecourse Grandstand
Doncaster Racecourse Doncaster Racecourse 2.jpg
Doncaster Racecourse

Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy.

Contents

History

Doncaster is one of the oldest (and the largest in physical capacity) established centres for horse racing in Britain, with records of regular race meetings going back to the 16th century. A map of 1595 already shows a racecourse at Town Moor. [1] In 1600 the corporation tried to put an end to the races because of the number of ruffians they attracted, but by 1614 it acknowledged failure and instead marked out a racecourse.

Doncaster is home to two of the World's oldest horse races:

The Doncaster Cup

The earliest important race in Doncaster's history was the Doncaster Gold Cup, first run over Cantley Common in 1766. The Doncaster Cup is the oldest continuing regulated horse race in the world. Together with the 2 miles (3,200 m) Goodwood Cup and 2+1⁄2 miles (4,000 m) Ascot Gold Cup, the Doncaster Cup is part of Britain's Stayers' Triple Crown for horses capable of running longer distances.

The St. Leger Stakes

Ten years later the racecourse moved to its present location, and in 1776 Colonel Anthony St. Leger founded a race in which five horses ran. This race has remained in existence and has become the world's oldest classic horse race. During the First World War the racecourse was used for military purposes, and substitute races were run at Newmarket from 1915 to 1918.

Doncaster has the distinction of both starting and ending the flat season on turf. Every September, Doncaster hosts the prestigious four-day William Hill St. Leger Festival, which is acclaimed as the premier sporting occasion of the autumn calendar. Doncaster has also taken over events whose traditional homes have closed, such as the Lincoln Handicap in 1965. More history was made at Doncaster in 1992 when it staged the first ever Sunday meeting on a British racecourse. A crowd of 23,000 turned up despite the absence of betting.

The racecourse is used for other functions. It regularly hosts conventions such as the Tattoo Festival and business meetings such as Doncaster Dynamites BNI[ clarification needed ] every Wednesday. The current[ when? ] membership committee of that BNI chapter comprises local Doncaster business people Michael Reeder, Ailsa Watson, James Criddle, Mark Appleyard, Jason Cole, Ian Smith and Andrew Isaacs.

Today the St. Leger Stakes remains the world's oldest classic horse race, and features in the horse racing calendar as the fifth and final Classic of the British Flat racing season. It is run every September.

Specifications

Doncaster is a left-handed, pear-shaped track of around 1 mile 7½ furlongs (3.1 km) which is mostly flat. There are courses for Flat racing and National Hunt racing. The racecourse is easily accessible by road, railway and air.

Notable races

MonthDay of
week		Race nameTypeGradeDistanceAge/Sex
JanuarySaturday Great Yorkshire Chase ChaseHandicap3m5yo +
JanuarySaturday Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle HurdleGrade 22m 110y4yo + m
JanuarySaturday River Don Novices' Hurdle HurdleGrade 23m 110y4yo +
MarchSaturday Grimthorpe Handicap Chase ChaseHandicap3m 2f5yo +
MarchSaturday Brocklesby Stakes FlatConditions5f2yo only
MarchSaturday Cammidge Trophy FlatListed6f3yo+
MarchSaturday Doncaster Mile Stakes FlatListed1m4yo +
MarchSaturday Lincoln Handicap FlatHandicap1m4yo +
SeptemberFriday Flying Scotsman Stakes FlatConditions7f2yo only
SeptemberThursday Sceptre Stakes FlatGroup 37f3yo + f
SeptemberThursday Park Hill Stakes FlatGroup 21m 6f 115y3yo + f
SeptemberFriday Flying Childers Stakes FlatGroup 25f2yo only
SeptemberFriday Doncaster Cup FlatGroup 22m 2f3yo +
SeptemberFriday May Hill Stakes FlatGroup 21m2yo only f
SeptemberSaturday St. Leger Stakes FlatGroup 11m 6f 115y3yo only
SeptemberSaturday Champagne Stakes FlatGroup 27f2yo only
SeptemberSaturday Portland Handicap FlatHandicap5f 140y3yo +
SeptemberSaturday Park Stakes FlatGroup 27f3yo +
OctoberSaturday Futurity Trophy FlatGroup 11m2yo only
NovemberSaturday November Handicap FlatHandicap1m 4f3yo +
Other races

See also

References

Bibliography

53°31′13″N1°5′48″W / 53.52028°N 1.09667°W / 53.52028; -1.09667

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