The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 115 yards, and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards, about 1½ miles, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May or early June. It is the second-oldest of the five Classic races, after the St Leger. Officially the Betfred Oaks, it is also popularly known as simply The Oaks. It has increasingly come to be referred to as the Epsom Oaks in both the UK and overseas countries, although 'Epsom' is not part of the official title of the race.)
The Geoffrey Freer Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 5 furlongs and 61 yards, and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.
The May Hill Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.
The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their own age group. As such, victory in any classic marks a horse as amongst the very best of a generation. Victory in two or even three of the series marks a horse as truly exceptional.
Sir Peter Teazle was a good British bred Thoroughbred racehorse, a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland nine times, and carried on the sire line of Herod.
Bay Middleton was an undefeated Thoroughbred racehorse whose victories included two British Classic Races. He was twice the Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland.
Blink Bonny (1854–1862) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a career that lasted from 1856 to 1858, she ran twenty times and won fourteen races. She was the leading British two-year-old of 1856, when she won eight races including the Gimcrack Stakes at York. In 1857 Blink Bonny won five of her seven races and became the second filly, after Eleanor, to defeat the colts in The Derby. In the same season, racing against her own sex, she won The Oaks, the Lancashire Oaks, and the Park Hill Stakes.
Surplice (1845–1871) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from July 1847 to October 1849 he ran thirteen times and won nine races. He was the leading colt of his generation in England at both two and three years old, with his wins including The Derby and the St Leger in 1848: he was the first horse for forty-eight years to win both of these Classics. His later career was less successful and he was retired to stud in 1850. Surplice had limited success as a sire of winners and died in 1871.
Cossack also known as "The Cossack", was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from July 1846 to June 1849 he ran twenty-two times and won three races. In 1847 he proved himself one of the best British colts of his generation, winning Derby and being narrowly beaten in the St Leger. Although he continued to run well in important staying races for the next five seasons, he failed to win another race and was retired to stud in after running once as an eight-year-old in 1852. No subsequent winner of the Epsom Derby has run beyond the age of five. He was later exported to stand as a stallion in France.
Wheel of Fortune was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a career that lasted from July 1878 to August 1879 she ran eleven times and won ten races. She was the best British two-year-old of either sex in 1878, when she went unbeaten in six races. The following year she won the 1000 Guineas, The Oaks, the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks before being injured when suffering her only defeat. She was retired from racing at the end of 1879 and became a modestly successful broodmare. Wheel of Fortune was regarded by contemporary experts as one of the best racemares of the 19th century.
Achievement (1864–1872) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a career that lasted from April 1866 to June 1868 she ran twenty-three times and won sixteen races. She was arguably the best British two-year-old of either sex in 1866 when she won eleven times and was only beaten when attempting to concede weight to colts. As a three-year-old she won the Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and then returned from a surprising defeat in The Oaks to beat The Derby winner Hermit in the St Leger at Doncaster. After failing to show her best form in 1868 she was retired to stud and died four years later.
Cantelo was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a career which lasted from spring 1958 until September 1959 she ran eleven times and won eight races. Cantelo was unbeaten in five races as a two-year-old including the Royal Lodge Stakes, in which she defeated colts. As a three-year-old in 1959 she won the Classic St Leger, as well as the Cheshire Oaks and the Ribblesdale Stakes. Her defeats came when finishing second in The Oaks and the Park Hill Stakes and running fourth to Alcide in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. She was retired from racing after her St Leger win and had some success as a broodmare.
Simple Verse is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. Unraced as a juvenile, the filly quickly established herself as a top-class stayer by winning the St Leger Stakes. The previous filly to win the St Leger Stakes was User Friendly in 1992. She followed up her win in the St Leger with another Group One win in the British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes the following month.
Attica Meli was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Owned by Louis Freedman and trained by Noel Murless she won seven of her fifteen races and was regarded as the best British filly of her generation at both three and four years of age. She took time to show her best form but in the second half of 1972 she won five consecutive races including the Yorkshire Oaks, Park Hill Stakes and Princess Royal Stakes. In the following year she finished second in the Coronation Cup and the Hardwicke Stakes before stepping up in distance to record decisive wins over male opponents in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes and the Doncaster Cup. She was retired from racing at the end of 1973 and had some influence as a broodmare.
John Charlton (1829–1862) was a British jockey, most famous for winning an Oaks/Derby double on Blink Bonny, only the second filly to complete the feat.
Pennycomequick was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed promise as a two-year-old in 1928 when she won her only race by a wide margin. In the following year she won two races including a victory in the Epsom Oaks. She failed when made favourite for the St Leger and was retired from racing after sustaining a serious leg injury in autumn. She became a very successful broodmare, producing several major winners.
Brownhylda was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed considerable promise as a two-year-old when she won three times and finished twice on two occasions. In the following year he won the Epsom Oaks and the Park Hill Stakes as well as finishing second in the Yorkshire Oaks. Her form declined thereafter and she failed to win again before being retired at the end of the following year. She produced only four known foals, but these did include the St Leger winner Firdaussi.
Keystone was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Having suffered from ill-health as a juvenile she recorded an emphatic win in the Epsom Oaks on her second racecourse appearance. She went on to win the Coronation Stakes and three other races as well as finishing second in the Jockey Club Stakes and a possibly unlucky fourth in the St Leger. She failed to win in the following year and was retired from racing. As a broodmare she produced the St Leger winner Keysoe and was the female-line ancestor of Display and Ballymoss.
Canterbury Pilgrim (1893–1917) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed some ability as a juvenile but failed to win a race. She won the Oaks Stakes on her first run as a three-year-old and went on to win the Liverpool Summer Cup, Park Hill Stakes and Jockey Club Cup before being retired at the end of the year. As a broodmare the best of her offspring was Swynford, a top-class racehorse who was even better as a breeding stallion. She also produced the influential sire Chaucer and several good broodmares. She has been described as "one of the most influential horses, stallion or mare, of the Twentieth Century".
