Listed race | |
Location | Flemington Racecourse Melbourne, Australia |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1857 |
Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
Website | Victoria Racing Club |
Race information | |
Distance | 2,800 metres |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Three-year-olds |
Weight | Set weights with penalties |
Purse | $300,000 (2022) |
The VRC St Leger is a Listed Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 2800 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on ANZAC Day. [1]
First run in 1857, the race was originally held in March as part of the Victoria Racing Club Autumn Carnival. In 1907 the race was run on the same race card as the Newmarket Handicap. [2]
In an effort to promote the Australian Thoroughbred breeding industry, from 1932 to 1956 geldings were banned from competing in the St. Leger. Past St Leger Stakes winners include Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductees Grand Flaneur (1881), Poseidon (1907), [2] Phar Lap (1930), [3] Tranquil Star (1941) and Tulloch (1958). Several winners also captured Australia's most prestigious race, the Melbourne Cup. They are: Grand Flaneur (1881), Phar Lap (1930), Comic Court (1949), Delta (1950), and Gurner's Lane (1982). In 1956, Sailor's Guide won the race and in 1958 raced in North America where he defeated a top international field in the forerunner to the Breeders' Cup Turf, the then very prestigious Washington, D.C. International Stakes.
The St. Leger was hosted by Moonee Valley Racecourse in 2001 [4] and again in 2007 [5] due to track refurbishments being carried out at the Flemington racecourse.
The race was held over a distance of 14 furlongs, 132 yards until 1973 when it was modified to the metric distance of 2800 metres. In 1975 the race was run over 2700 metres. [6] In 2001 and 2007, the distance was changed to 2500 metres when the race was run at Moonee Valley Racecourse [4] while Flemington was under redevelopment. [5]
Previously tied with T.J. Smith at six wins, in 2005 Bart Cummings set the record for most victories by a trainer when he won the race for the seventh time.
† Dead heat
The VRC St. Leger is one of a number of similar events around the world, although many are no longer restricted to three-year-olds. European variations include the Irish St. Leger, the Prix Royal-Oak, the Deutsches St. Leger and the St. Leger Italiano. Other national equivalents include the Kikuka Shō, the New Zealand St. Leger and the English St. Leger Stakes held at Doncaster.
The VRC Champions Stakes, registered as the LKS Mackinnon Stakes, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions over a distance of 2000 metres at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup. Total prize money is A$3,000,000.
The Champions Sprint, registered as the Victoria Racing Club Stakes, is a Victoria Racing Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over, under weight for age conditions, over a distance of 1200 metres held at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the last day of the VRC Spring Carnival. Total prize money for the race is A$3,000,000.
The Memsie Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia as a lead in to the Spring Racing Carnival. Total prize money for the race is A$1,000,000.
The Underwood Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, run over 1800 metres under weight-for-age conditions, held at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in late September each year. Total prize money for the race is A$ 1,000,000.
The Futurity Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, over a distance of 1400 metres held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, in late February. Total prize money is A$750,000.
The VRC Champions Mile, registered as the Cantala Stakes, is a Group 1 Victoria Racing Club quality handicap Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the fourth and last day during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Total prize money is A$3,000,000
The Verry Elleegant Stakes, registered as the Chipping Norton Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, run at weight for age, over a distance of 1600 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in February or March. Prizemoney is A$1,000,000.
The Coolmore Stud Stakes, registered as the Ascot Vale Stakes, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, at set weights, run over 1200 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia, on Victoria Derby Day. Total prize money is A$2,000,000.
The Linlithgow Stakes, is a registered Victoria Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred open handicap horse race raced as The TAB Stakes (2018), over a distance of 1200 metres held annually at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne during the VRC Spring Racing Carnival. Total prize money for the race is A$500,000.
The Wakeful Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies, run under set weights with penalties conditions, over 2,000 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on Victoria Derby Day. Total prize money for the race is A$300,000.
The Makybe Diva Stakes, previously called the Craiglee Stakes, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race at Weight for age conditions for three year olds and older, over a distance of 1,600 metres held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia in September. Total prize money is A$1,000,000.
The Sires' Produce Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds, run at set weights, over a distance of 1400 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March during the VRC Autumn Racing Carnival. The total prize money is A$300,000.
The P B Lawrence Stakes, registered as the J J Liston Stakes, is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 1400 metres, held at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in August. Total prize money for the race is A$300,000.
The Peter Young Stakes, registered as the St George Stakes, is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions over a distance of 1800 metres at Caulfield racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in late February. Total prize money is A$300,000.
The Herbert Power Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under quality handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 2400 metres. It is held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. Prizemoney is A$300,000.
The Matriarch Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race for mares aged four years old and upwards, run at set weights with penalties, over a distance of 2,000 metres, held annually at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in November on the last day of the VRC Spring Carnival. Total prize money for the race is A$300,000.
The Chatham Stakes is a registered Victoria Racing Club Group 3 Thoroughbred open handicap horse race raced as the Paramount+ Chatham Stakes, over a distance of 1400 metres held annually at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia during the VRC Spring Racing Carnival. Total prize money for the race is A$200,000 and $1,500 trophy.
The Phar Lap Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, at set weights, over a distance of 1500 metres, held annually at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March. Total prize money is A$300,000.
The Ottawa Stakes, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies, run at set weights, over a distance of 1,000 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in November during the VRC Spring Racing Carnival. From 2020 it was moved from Melbourne Cup day to the Thursday.
Started at 1/12on and won by 21⁄2 lengths in the time of 3m. 11s.