ULTIMATE DAY OUT: 10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GO TO BETFRED ST LEGER FESTIVAL IN SEPTEMBER!
With just over two months to go until the famous Betfred St Leger Festival gets underway at Doncaster Racecourse, here are 10 reasons why this ultimate racing festival is not to be missed!
ULTIMATE DAY OUT: 10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GO TO BETFRED ST LEGER FESTIVAL IN SEPTEMBER!
- Secure the best possible tickets now, early doors, to get the best price!
- Prices from as little as £16
- Be part of History this September at one of the most famous and historic horseracing festivals in the world
With just over two months to go until the famous Betfred St Leger Festival gets underway at Doncaster Racecourse, here are 10 reasons why this ultimate racing festival is not to be missed!
1. HISTORY
At the historic Doncaster Racecourse, you can be sure to get a taste of history and culture. Steeped in over 400 years of racing heritage, with records of regular race meetings dating back to the 16th century, Doncaster Racecourse is one of Britain’s oldest racecourses.
Home of the famous Betfred St Leger Festival, the four-days features an impressive racing card, including the world’s oldest race still being run – the Doncaster Cup – alongside the Festival’s showpiece Betfred St Leger Stakes, which was founded in 1776 by Lieutenant Colonel Anthony St Leger. With just five British 'Classics' each year, the Betfred St Leger Stakes is the final Classic of the year and the world’s oldest.
2. GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN – DAY 1: LADIES DAY
Everyone loves dressing up for a day at the races, and Ladies Day at the Betfred St Leger Festival offers the perfect opportunity to dust off those glad rags and showcase the very best your wardrobe has to offer! Although not obligatory, most racegoers come dressed in their best formal attire in a veritable fest of high-class outfits, sharp suits and glamorous hats.
It’s not just for the fun of it either, with cash prize of £1000 up for grabs for the best dressed racegoer in the Style Awards, which is open to all.
Make sure you head to the famous flower wall during the event to grab a photo and be entered automatically into this year's competition!
3. LEGENDS DAY
Legend’s Day is the fourth and final day of the Betfred St Leger festival, a prestigious day where previous winners of the famous Betfred St Leger Stakes and other horse racing legends come back to compete in a charity race. Previous winners of the race include legends like AP McCoy, Joseph O’Brien, Mick Kinane and Julie Krone.
The Leger Legends Classified Stakes is the only Charity race for ex-professional jockeys in Britain, so it’s not one to be missed! The race, which was first run in 2010, is a focus for a wonderful charity lunch raising money for both the National Horseracing College and the Injured Jockeys Fund Jack Berry House.
The last day of the Festival is perfect for all the family as well, so grab the whole gang and come down for this truly unique final day.
4. EXPERIENCE FINE DINING
Alongside a wide variety of fantastic food and drink, featuring local suppliers, available for the thousands that attend, if you’re a connoisseur of fine foods you’re in for a real treat at the Betfred St Leger Festival. There are a variety of luxury hospitality experiences on offer including the most premium experience on site…The Sky Garden.
Expect champagne, canapes, afternoon tea and a fantastic seven course tasting menu carefully curated by the onsite team of award-winning chefs. If you want to elevate your experience at the Betfred St Leger Festival this year, then this is the choice for you.
5. A FAVOURTIE AMONG THE ROYALS
A trip to Doncaster this September means you’ll be following in the famous footsteps of many royals. With horseracing being a passion of the late Queen Elizabeth II, her royal highness enjoyed many trips to the Betfred St Leger Festival over the years; the earliest being her 1952 visit to Doncaster to watch her own horse, Gay Time, being ridden by Gordon Richards. The Queen later won the St Leger Stakes with her filly Dunfermline in 1977, whilst she was also the winning owner in the 2014 Doncaster Cup with Estimate, trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by Ryan Moore.
6. CELEB HOTSPOT
Similarly, the Betfred St Leger Festival has had its fair share of famous faces visit over the years, with the Made in Chelsea cast, X Factor stars, Love Islanders, supermodels and singers all photographed at the star-studded event. You’re sure to get some good celeb spotting at the Betfred St Leger Festival this year!
7. SAY A FINAL FAREWELL TO FRANKIE
Racing fans will know that the legendary jockey Frankie Dettori is set to hang up his saddle at the end of the season after an immensely successful career spanning over 40 years, which includes six wins in the Betfred St Leger Stakes.
Dettori will call time on his career at the end of 2023, so the Betfred St Leger Festival could be one of the very last opportunities to see him in action in Britain. Will we see that famous flying dismount celebration one more time?
8. EASY TO GET TO
Probably the easiest racecourse to get to in the whole of the UK! Trains come into Doncaster station from all over the country, and both the London to Edinburgh, and Plymouth to Newcastle services cross at the railway station. The Frenchgate Interchange means you can easily catch a bus to the racecourse and there’s a service that runs every 15 minutes or so. Doncaster racecourse also has excellent links to the motorway network including M1 (junction 32), M18 (junction 3/4), A1M (junction 36) and the M62.
9. AFTERPARTY PERFORMANCES
As fun and entertaining as a jampacked day of racing is, the fun doesn’t stop there with live music acts and an afterparty to match all the electric atmosphere that’s gone before it.
Once the entertainment on the track has finished, the fun off the track begins. There will be a range of fantastic live music and DJ sets performing live after racing and all included in your ticket price.
10. BETFRED ST LEGER DAY
A list of the top reasons to visit the Betfred St Leger Festival wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Betfred St Leger Day, the world’s oldest Classic horserace. Come along for what promises to be a day of exhilarating racing entertainment you don’t want to miss.
The Saturday of the Betfred St Leger Festival brings the busiest crowds, attracts some of the world’s best jockeys, trainers and horses, and all across Doncaster streets are filled with flags and a festival-feeling.
To experience an atmosphere like nothing else, make sure buy your ticket before prices rise and tickets vanish!
Rachel Harwood, Executive Director of Doncaster Racecourse, said: “We’re back stronger than ever this year with the 2023 Betfred St Leger Festival and there is so much to look forward to, from Ladies Day to saying goodbye to Frankie Dettori in what would be his last St Leger and British Classic before he retires from racing – it will be a true celebration of our local community and horse racing as a whole..”
Tickets are available now from just £16. Visit www.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk for more information or call the team on 01302 304200 to secure your place.
