The St Leger Festival is underway at Doncaster, where four days of racing from September 10 through 13 lead into the 250th anniversary of the St Leger Stakes.
The meeting opened Thursday with Ladies Day and continues Friday with the Doncaster Cup before Saturday’s St Leger card. Sunday closes the festival.
Friday: Doncaster Cup
The Group 2 Doncaster Cup is the feature on September 11. Eight horses have been declared for the £165,000 race, led by dual Group 1 winner Caballo De Mar and Queenstown. Winday, Epic Poet, Beylerbeyi, Ascending, Berkshire Sundance and Peace Belle complete the field.
The Doncaster Cup was first run in 1766, ten years before the inaugural St Leger. It remains one of the major staying races on the British calendar.
Read OTB Bet’s Doncaster Cup preview for the confirmed field and race context.
Saturday: the 250th St Leger
The festival centerpiece comes on September 12. Doncaster is celebrating 250 years since the first St Leger was run in 1776.
At the five day stage, 12 horses remained in contention for the £700,000 Group 1. Derby winner Christmas Day headed the group, while unbeaten Enceladus and Pierre Bonnard were also prominent. OTB Bet is treating those names as entries, not final starters, until declarations are confirmed.
The 2026 running will also be included in World Pool for the first time.
For permanent race history and continuing updates, visit the St Leger Stakes guide.
Why this festival matters
Doncaster’s September meeting closes one of the most important chapters of the British Classic season. The St Leger is the final British Classic, while the Doncaster Cup provides a major test for established stayers one day earlier.
The timing also makes the festival relevant to the wider international autumn calendar. Racing fans can follow the Irish Champions Festival, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Breeders’ Cup and the Melbourne Cup through OTB Bet’s major race coverage.
Sources
Festival dates, race schedule, St Leger anniversary information, purse details, five day entries and World Pool status were verified with Doncaster Racecourse. Doncaster Cup declarations were verified with the official Doncaster Racecourse release dated September 9, 2026.
