Founder & Editor · Last reviewed 2026-08-14
St Leger Festival 2026
The St Leger Festival at Doncaster is the final Classic meeting of the British flat season: four days of top-class racing on Town Moor each September, built around the St Leger Stakes, the oldest of the five English Classics and the last leg of the Triple Crown. The Leger has been run every year since 1776, and the 2026 renewal is the 250th running.
The festival runs from Thursday to Sunday, closing out a summer that has already delivered the Guineas at Newmarket, the Derby and Oaks at Epsom, and the Ebor Festival at York. By the time the three-year-olds reach Doncaster, the shape of the Classic generation is known, and the Leger asks the one question the faster Classics do not: which of them can truly stay.
The 2026 Festival opens on Thursday 10 September 2026. Daily racecards, going updates and declared runners are published the morning of each day; this page updates automatically as each detail is confirmed.
At a glance
- Course: Doncaster, Town Moor (right-handed, flat, galloping)
- Dates: 4 days, Thursday to Sunday
- Feature race: St Leger Stakes (Group 1, Saturday)
- Distance: 1m 6f 115y (2,921m)
- Eligibility: three-year-old colts and fillies (no geldings)
- First run: 1776
The St Leger takes its name from Lieutenant-General Anthony St Leger, who helped establish the race at Cantley Common near Doncaster. Nijinsky's win here in 1970 remains the last time a horse completed the Triple Crown. Read on for the 2026 day-by-day schedule, the festival's signature races, how to watch, and a full raceday guide.
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2026 Festival schedule
2026 Festival schedule
The St Leger Festival runs across four afternoons, Thursday to Sunday, with the St Leger itself run on the Saturday. Each day typically carries seven or eight races, building to the Classic on day three.
Thursday: Ladies' Day
- May Hill Stakes (Group 2, 1m, two-year-old fillies): the festival's leading juvenile race and a recognised stepping stone to the following spring's 1,000 Guineas.
- A supporting card of listed and handicap races on the round course.
Friday: Gents' Day / Cup Day
- Doncaster Cup (Group 2, 2m 2f): one of the oldest Pattern races in Britain and the festival's principal staying test, contested by horses fresh from the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup.
- Park Hill Stakes (Listed, 1m 6f 115y): the fillies' equivalent of the St Leger, run over the same demanding trip.
Saturday: St Leger Day
- St Leger Stakes (Group 1, 1m 6f 115y): the final Classic of the season and the day's centrepiece, run as part of a seven-race card.
- Flying Childers Stakes (Group 2, 5f, two-year-olds): the sprinting contrast to the Leger's stamina test.
Sunday: closing day
- A family-day card closes out the festival, with handicaps and conditions races on the round course.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Festival opens | Thursday 10 September 2026 |
| St Leger off time | TBA |
| Going | TBA |
| Typical field size | for the St Leger |
Ante-post markets
Ante-post interest in the St Leger builds from late May, once the Derby form is known, and firms decisively after the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York each August. Fields are typically small relative to the Guineas or Derby (single figures is normal), reflecting how few three-year-olds are proven stayers over the trip by September.
History and signature races
History and signature races
Doncaster has hosted racing on Town Moor for more than 400 years, but the meeting's fame rests on one race. The St Leger Stakes was first run at Cantley Common, just outside Doncaster, on 24 September 1776, and moved to its permanent Town Moor home in 1778. It is the oldest of the five English Classics, run three years before the Oaks and seven before the Derby.
The St Leger and the Triple Crown
The St Leger is the third and final leg of the English Triple Crown, alongside the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby. It is a demanding one: a three-year-old that has already proven fast enough to win over a mile at Newmarket and strong enough to win over a mile and a half at Epsom then has to stay an extended mile and six furlongs at Doncaster, in September, at the end of a long campaign. Nijinsky remains the last horse to complete the Triple Crown, winning the 1970 St Leger under Lester Piggott for trainer Vincent O'Brien; no horse has managed it since.
The signature races
St Leger Stakes (Saturday, Group 1, 1m 6f 115y): the Classic itself. Recent winners have been dominated by Aidan O'Brien and Ballydoyle, with Scandinavia (2025), Jan Brueghel (2024) and Continuous (2023) completing three in a row for the yard.
Doncaster Cup (Friday, Group 2, 2m 2f): the festival's staying championship and one of the oldest Pattern races in the calendar. Stradivarius won it three years running from 2018 to 2020, trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, cementing his reputation as one of the era's great stayers.
May Hill Stakes (Thursday, Group 2, 1m, two-year-old fillies): the festival's leading juvenile race, targeted by the major yards as a proper objective rather than a qualifier. A win here regularly moves a filly into the following spring's 1,000 Guineas market.
Park Hill Stakes (Friday, Listed, 1m 6f 115y): the fillies' equivalent of the St Leger, run over the same trip and open to progressive stayers stepping up from shorter Pattern company.
Flying Childers Stakes (Saturday, Group 2, 5f, two-year-olds): the sprint championship of the two-year-old season, named after a celebrated 18th-century racehorse and usually run in under a minute.
Recent champions
This section updates after each year's meeting; see /racing-news/ for the most recent race result articles.
TV coverage and how to watch
TV coverage and how to watch
The 2026 St Leger Festival is broadcast free to air on ITV1 / ITVX across all four days, with Racing TV carrying the fuller card for subscribers.
UK terrestrial: ITV1 / ITVX
ITV Racing holds the rights to the St Leger meeting and typically covers all four days live, with race coverage usually running from around 1pm to 4pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and a slightly later window on Sunday. St Leger Day itself is the flagship broadcast of the week, building up to the Classic mid-afternoon. ITVX carries the shown races live and on demand afterwards, free to UK viewers.
Racing TV
Racing TV carries the full four-day meeting, including the races ITV does not show, with pre- and post-race analysis across the week. A festival pass is typically the best-value option for subscribers who want every race.
Sky Sports Racing
Sky Sports Racing does not hold rights to the St Leger Festival; Doncaster's races are split between ITV and Racing TV. Sky Sports Racing will cover complementary UK fixtures on the same afternoons instead.
International
- Ireland: Racing TV (via Sky Ireland / Virgin Media) carries the full festival, and the meeting shares the weekend with the Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown and the Curragh.
- US: TVG / FanDuel Racing typically covers the St Leger itself given its Classic status.
- Replays: ITVX (free) and Racing TV (subscriber) keep the races on demand after broadcast; the Racing Post and Doncaster Racecourse's own channels post race videos within hours.
Off-time reminders
Doncaster's first race each day is usually in the early afternoon. St Leger Day carries the biggest card of the week, and the Classic itself is normally run mid-afternoon as one of the later races on the card. Exact off-times are confirmed on the Doncaster Racecourse website closer to the day.
Raceday at Doncaster
Getting there
Doncaster Racecourse is on Leger Way, Doncaster, DN2 6BB. Doncaster railway station is around a 15-minute walk from the course, with direct services from London King's Cross (around 90 minutes), Leeds (25 minutes), York (25 minutes) and Sheffield (20 minutes). St Leger Day sees high-frequency services from late morning, though trains straight after the last race fill quickly.
The enclosures
The festival operates four enclosures: the Premier Enclosure (the main grandstand, closest to the winning post, smart dress code enforced), the Grandstand Enclosure, the Course Enclosure and a Festival Village area on the busier days. Prices rise through the week; Thursday is the cheapest day and Saturday the most expensive. Ladies' Day and St Leger Day routinely sell out the Premier and Grandstand enclosures, so book those first.
On the day
- Gates open around 10:30am on St Leger Day.
- First race is typically early afternoon.
- The St Leger is normally run mid-afternoon, one of the later races on a seven-race card.
- The parade ring is worth attending for the Classic even with your bet already placed; the three-year-olds arriving at Doncaster in September have been campaigning at the top level since May.
Dress code
Premier Enclosure: smart day dress expected, jacket and tie for men, dresses with a hat or fascinator for women. Ladies' Day (Thursday) is the festival's dress-up highlight. Grandstand and Course Enclosures: no strict code, though the crowd dresses well throughout the week.
Food and drink
Doncaster offers hospitality packages including restaurant dining with track views, alongside standard food outlets across all enclosures and bars throughout the course. The Course Enclosure is the most picnic-friendly option.
Betting
Tote facilities and on-course bookmakers operate across all enclosures, with the busiest betting activity in the half hour before the St Leger itself. Our bookmaker comparison guide covers the options for betting from the stand or online. Betting on horse racing carries risk: only stake what you can afford to lose, set deposit limits and never chase losses. BeGambleAware.org. 18+.
For the full evergreen guide to the festival, including a day-by-day breakdown, betting angles and planning advice, see the St Leger Festival guide and the St Leger Festival hub.
Sources and verification
Dates, distances, prize details and history in this piece were cross-checked against:
Source: cross-referenced as of the lastUpdated date in this article's meta.yaml.
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