St Leger 250
Celebrating 250 Years of Racing Heritage in Doncaster
Heritage Doncaster is delighted to have been awarded funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver St Leger 250, a landmark programme celebrating the 250th anniversary of the St Leger Stakes, the world’s oldest Classic horse race.
Delivered in partnership with Doncaster Racecourse, Get Doncaster Moving and Visit Doncaster, this exciting programme will explore Doncaster’s rich racing heritage while creating opportunities for communities, schools, visitors and racing enthusiasts to get involved in celebration throughout summer and autumn 2026.
Thanks to National Lottery players, St Leger 250 will bring people together through a programme of exhibitions, events, creative activities, learning opportunities and community projects that honour Doncaster’s unique place in the history of horse racing.
250 Years of the St Leger Stakes
Founded in 1776 by Anthony St Leger, the St Leger Stakes transformed the sport of horse racing and helped establish Doncaster as one of the most important racing towns in Britain.
As the first race of its kind for younger horses, the St Leger introduced a new competitive format that influenced racing for generations to come. Its inaugural winner, owned by the Marquess of Rockingham, created lasting links between the race and Doncaster’s Georgian heritage.
Over the last 250 years, the race has become internationally renowned, attracting legendary owners, jockeys and spectators from across the world. Today, the St Leger Festival remains one of Britain’s most celebrated racing events and an important part of Doncaster’s cultural identity.
Doncaster’s Enduring Equine Story
The story of horses in Doncaster extends far beyond the racecourse.
For centuries, horses have played a vital role in the town’s development, from Roman cavalry activity across the local landscape and medieval horse trading along the Great North Road, to the arrival of special race trains in the 19th century that brought thousands of visitors to the town.
Horse culture has shaped Doncaster’s economy, traditions, communities and social life for generations. Through St Leger 250, we will uncover and celebrate the people, places, trades and customs that have helped create Doncaster’s enduring racing heritage.
Bringing Communities Together
At its heart, St Leger 250 is about people. The project will work with communities, schools, heritage organisations, cultural partners and racing enthusiasts to ensure that Doncaster’s remarkable racing story is shared, understood and celebrated by current and future generations.
By exploring the past and creating new opportunities for participation, creativity and learning, St Leger 250 will help strengthen pride in Doncaster’s heritage while showcasing the town’s international racing legacy.
St Leger 250 Micro Commissions
As part of the St Leger 250 celebrations, Heritage Doncaster is offering a programme of Micro Commissions to support local heritage, community and voluntary groups in creating activities that celebrate Doncaster’s unique racing heritage.
These small grants, ranging from £250 to £1,500, are designed to inspire local organisations to develop and deliver pop-up heritage activities that engage new audiences, encourage participation and help people discover the stories, traditions and communities connected to the St Leger Stakes and Doncaster’s equine past.
We are particularly interested in projects that celebrate local identity, bring communities together, and create opportunities for people to explore and share their own connections to Doncaster’s horse racing heritage.
Funding Available
- Grants from £250 to £1,500
- Open to local heritage, community and voluntary groups
- Funding for pop-up heritage activities and events
- Projects should support participation, community engagement and heritage celebration
Key Information
Application Deadline: Monday 13 July, 11:00am
Grant Value: £250 – £1,500
Ideas for Projects
Activities could include:
- Community exhibitions and displays
- Heritage walks and trails
- Storytelling and oral history projects
- Creative workshops inspired by horses and racing culture
- Family-friendly heritage events
- Local celebrations exploring Doncaster’s racing history
- Activities that capture and share community memories
Apply Now
This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of the city-wide celebrations marking 250 years of the St Leger Stakes.
Finish of the 1931 St Leger
oil on canvas
Charles Walter Simpson (1885-1971)
The most important day in Doncaster’s social and sporting calendar is without a doubt the day of the St Leger, when crowds flock to the town to enjoy a day’s top quality racing.
Horse racing and the St Leger are the subjects of many images in our fine art collection, but none capture the excitement of a day at the races as well as this picture. You can almost hear the roar of the crowd as the horses strain to reach the finishing line.
The view is taken from the main stand of Doncaster Racecourse looking across to the Free Course and, in the background, Bawtry Road.
In 1931, the St Leger was won by Sandwich, and he is shown in full flight, leading the charge to the line.
Simpson divides the painting up into horizontal sections, with the lush green turf of the course being framed by the packed crowds on either side. The general lack of colour in the spectators’ clothing adds to the apparent brightness of the grass, and focuses our attention on the race as it reaches its thrilling conclusion.
