Milestones at the St Ledger Festival
It was milestones all around at this year’s St Ledger Festival which celebrated its 250th year and Makers some 200 years behind celebrating only our 50th year and congratulations to Saffie Osbourne the first female jockey to win this classic race riding Highwayman to victory in the Betfred Group 1 Race.
As part of our 50th Celebration the owners and invited guests rubbed shoulders with the great and good in the racing world during the St Ledger Festival, having sampled ladies day the previous year with the commensurate hang over, Gents Day was a far safer proposition and was the right choice after the appalling weather for Ladies Day the day before but provided excellent ground for the Friday racing.
Ensconced in the conduit restaurant with panoramic views over the course and winning line as well as necessary shelter from the unsettle weather, the race goers turned out in force, displayed in their finery and eager for the days racing which featured the race of the day The Doncaster Cup.
The St Ledger Festival owes its origins to a soldier and MP, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony St Ledger who first held the race for 3-year-old horses to test their stamina.
Originally raced on Cantley Common near Doncaster until moving to Doncaster Races where it is run over 1 mile and 6 furlongs.
As one of the British classic races the festival attracts over 60,000 race goers over the 4-day festival.
A full hospitality package greeted attendees who looked forward to some exhilarating racing across the 8-race card featuring the Doncaster Cup over 2 miles and 2 furlongs and was the richest prize money race of the day with over £162,000 up for grabs with the winner seeing a cool £93,000.
As with all good racing, it attracts the big guys from within the industry with Godolphin Stables highly visible throughout the card.
Racing began just after lunch whereby a visit by the local tipster addressed the room providing his insights to the day’s events.
As with all on course racing, punters have the choice of betting with the tote or the bookies who operate differently where the excitement of queuing and feeling the buzz, grabbing the best odds and listening to the punters chatter always adds to the occasion.
With large fields for most races the odds were reasonable and for us that rarely attend race meets who pick via colour, name, numbers or some other obscure association, the comments in the race program came in very handy.
“This is the first time the tipster came through, after the debacle of a tipster at Warwick, I thought here we go again, but he was right on the money with his each way selection.
Stuart Rooker, Owner.
Unfortunately, early success emboldened the thoughts of “easy money” and “formulae success”, large fields created a desperate set of debateable betting chasing outsider each way catastrophes before reality took place.
“After 2 knee operations running from top to bottom of the main stand to the bookies took it’s toll, initially the first 3 wins disguised the real effort involved, by the time I’d put my bet on returned to the stand to watch the race, collect my winnings and then return to the table, just to repeat the process took its toll, luckily someone pointed me in the direction of the Paddy Power app, which coupled with a G&T which was much more to my liking”
Simon Lamb, Owner
The race of the day was the Doncaster Cup which turned out to be incredibly exciting with Caballo de Mer ridden by Oisin Murphy winning by a length. A popular winner with the leading festival jockey being a crowd favourite.
At the end of the racing, attention turned to the outside stage where Ellie Sax entertained the crowd mixed with club anthem vibes. Party goers looking to extend the night headed into Doncaster where 20,000 race goers jostle with cars as they take over the High Street!
“The racing was really exciting all through the day, I was delighted to win the first race, after that it was all downhill”.
Darren Wootton, Owner.
We would like to thank all our invited guests, for making it such a memorable day, and personally to thank them for all the support over many years, luckily Darren had won enough to pay for the bus fare home for us all, Doncaster Ibiza was just a tad too late! Maybe next year!