Yorkshire Jockeys Horse Racing

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The world’s oldest Classic race, the St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday, 14th, is the climax of the four-day Ladbrokes St. Leger Festival on Town Moor which begins on Wednesday, 11th. It’s possible that the first two in the Derby at Epsom in June, Ruler Of The World and Libertarian could renew rivalry in the 237th running of the fifth and final Classic of the British Flat racing season –a race which was first held in 1776. This year’s race – a Group 1 contest over one mile, six furlongs and 132 yards for Europe’s top staying three-year-olds – has record prize money of £600,000.

 

Last year’s race was an epic encounter, with Encke (ridden by the 2011 Derby-winning rider, Mickael Barzalona) denying Camelot the opportunity of being the first horse since Nijinsky in 1970 to win the coveted ‘Triple Crown’. Having been successful in both the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby, Camelot had to settle for the runner-up spot in front of a huge crowd at Doncaster.

 

Several of Britain’s most famous and best-known races are featured during the Ladbrokes St. Leger Festival. The action on the opening day, Wednesday, once again features a ‘Leger Legends Race’ to raise funds for the north’s first residential and rehabilitation centre for injured and retired jockeys soon to be built at Malton. Last year’s race was won by Patriotic, ridden by former St. Leger-winning jockey, Mick Kinane, winning by a nose from the NorthYorkshire – trained Elijah Pepper, ridden by another former St. Leger-winning rider, Yorkshireman George Duffield.

 

The Thursday of the Festival (12th) is DFS Ladies’ Day with classy racing combining with the latest fashions and a ‘Best-Dressed Lady’ competition held during the afternoon.

 

The list of prestigious Group and Listed races which take place during the St. Leger Festival, includes The Scarbrough Stakes on the opening day (Wednesday), The DFS Park Hill Stakes and The Japan Racing Association Sceptre Stakes (Thursday), The Stobart Doncaster Cup, The Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes and The Barrett Steel May Hill Stakes (Friday, 13th) along with The OLBG Park Stakes and The Champagne Stakes on Ladbrokes St. Leger Day – Saturday, 14th. In fact, there’s a new Listed race on the Friday, The One Call Insurance Flying Scotsman Stakes, a contest for two-year-olds which commemorates the construction of the famous steam engine, The Flying Scotsman at Doncaster in 1923 – 90 years ago.

 

The annual ‘Ladies Day’ Thirsk is on Saturday, 7th, in association with Barkers of Northallerton and features a couple of valuable handicap races, including the Hambleton Cup. There will be competitions to find the ‘Best-Dressed Lady’ and the wearer of the best hat. The season at Thirsk concludes with a fixture on Tuesday, 17th.

 

York’s sole meeting this month is the annual Press Family Day on Sunday, 8th. There’s a host of attractions for families and young racegoers, including appearances by Peppa Pig. The highlight of this Sunday programme on the Knavesmire is the second running of a Listed race, The Garrowby Stakes, a contest for sprinters over six furlongs. For the first time at this fixture, York will host the Finals of the nationwide Charles Owen Pony Racing Series, which is sure to include a few potential future jockeys.

 

Yorkshire’s ‘Seaside Racecourse’, Redcar hosts a couple of meetings (Tuesday, 10th and Wednesday, 25th), while Catterick’s campaign on the Flat continues with a Saturday fixture on 21st, featuring The Final of the Catterick Twelve Furlong Series – a Handicap contest offering prize money of £20,000. Racegoers at Catterick will be able to see the action from Ayr on the giant screen, featuring the Ayr Gold Cup – a race which will include several Yorkshire-trained horses. Indeed, last year’s winner, Captain Ramius was trained at Hambleton near Thirsk by Kevin Ryan.

 

The season at Beverley concludes with a couple of meetings this month on Wednesday, 18th and Tuesday, 24th, while Pontefract’s meetingon Thursday, 19th features a valuable sprint Handicap contest for fillies and mares and the sixth round of The Pontefract Stayers’ Championship. The principal race at the West Yorkshire track the following Thursday (26th), The Dalby Screw-Driver Handicap Stakes honours a 19th Century oil painting by the celebrated artist, David Dalby of York, who specialised in depicting racing and hunting scenes. The 1826 painting, which belongs to the racecourse, shows ‘Screw-Driver’ – owned by Mr. Flintoff Leatham and ridden by Captain W. Healy of the 7th Hussars – winning the Badsworth Cup at Pontefract on March 29th 1824. This race is also run in memory of a former chairman of Pontefract racecourse, Simon Scrope.

 

The season at Ripon – Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’ comes to a conclusion on Saturday, 28th, the feature race being a £25,000 contest for sprinters, The Ripon, Cathedral City of the Dales Handicap Stakes.