Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in

Doncaster Doncaster ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don, it is the administrative centre of the City of Doncaster metropolitan borough, and is the second largest se ...

, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 36 annual

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (motorsport), a regulation set of the FIA for series-production touring cars used in motorsport. * Group One Thoroughbred horse races, the leading e ...

flat races, the

St Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...

and the Racing Post Trophy.

History

Doncaster is one of the oldest (and the largest in physical capacity) established centres for horse racing in Britain, with records of regular race meetings going back to the 16th century. A map of 1595 already shows a racecourse at Town Moor. In 1600 the corporation tried to put an end to the races because of the number of ruffians they attracted, but by 1614 it acknowledged failure and instead marked out a racecourse. Doncaster is home to two of the World's oldest horse races:

The Doncaster Cup

The earliest important race in Doncaster's history was the Doncaster Gold Cup, first run over Cantley Common in 1766. The Doncaster Cup is the oldest continuing regulated horse race in the world. Together with the

Goodwood Cup The Goodwood Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles (3 ...

and

Ascot Gold Cup The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4 ...

, the Doncaster Cup is part of Britain's Stayers' Triple Crown for horses capable of running longer distances.

The St. Leger Stakes

Ten years later the racecourse moved to its present location, and in 1776 Colonel Anthony St. Leger founded a race in which five horses ran. This race has remained in existence and has become the world's oldest classic horse race. During the First World War the racecourse was used for military purposes, and substitute races were run at Newmarket from 1915 to 1918. Doncaster has the distinction of both starting and ending the flat season on turf. Every September, Doncaster hosts the prestigious four-day William Hill St. Leger Festival, which is acclaimed as the premier sporting occasion of the autumn calendar. Doncaster has also taken over events whose traditional homes have closed, such as the Lincoln Handicap in 1965. More history was made at Doncaster in 1992 when it staged the first ever Sunday meeting on a British racecourse. A crowd of 23,000 turned up despite the absence of betting. The racecourse is used for other functions. It regularly hosts conventions such as the Tattoo Festival and business meetings such as Doncaster Dynamites BNI every Wednesday. The current membership committee of that BNI chapter comprises local Doncaster business people Michael Reeder, Ailsa Watson, James Criddle, Mark Appleyard, Jason Cole, Ian Smith and Andrew Isaacs. Today the St. Leger Stakes remains the world's oldest classic horse race, and features in the horse racing calendar as the fifth and final Classic of the British Flat racing season. It is run every September.

Specifications

Doncaster is a left-handed, pear-shaped track of around 1 mile 7½

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...

s (3.1 km) which is mostly flat. There are courses for

Flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...

and

National Hunt racing National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, horse racing in Great Britain, Great Britain and horse racing in Ireland, Ireland. Jump Racin ...

. The racecourse is easily accessible by road, railway and air.

Notable races

;Other races * Doncaster Stakes * Gillies Fillies' Stakes * Wentworth Stakes

References

Bibliography

External links

*
Racecourse Guide a GGTV.co.uk

Course guide on GG.COM

Course guide on At The Races

Local racing portal
{{Racecourses in Yorkshire Sports venues in Doncaster Horse racing venues in England