The Betfred St Leger Festival is one of the highlights of the flat racing season. Thousands visit Doncaster Racecourse to watch history in the making across four thrilling days of action and excitement. On day three of the festival, the Group 1 Betfred St Leger Stakes takes place. This historic race has been won by some legendary horses through the decades.
The race was founded by Lieutenant Colonel Anthony St.Leger of Park Hill in the Rotherham village of Firbeck in 1776.
Currently, the village’s association with the St Leger race is marked by a blue plaque on the wall of the village hall and by the village sign in the centre of the village. Now Firbeck Parish Council has submitted a planning application for a sculpture garden with a corten steel sculpture of two racehorses (in profile) on the wide triangular shaped grass verge off Kidd Lane.
The application explains: "On the Friday of the [1776] meeting, the Park Hill Stakes, named for the home of Colonel Anthony St Leger, is run. Legend has it that the St.Leger race had its genesis in a race held between a horse belonging to the Colonel and that of another horse racing acquaintance on an oval field just south of the village of Firbeck. That field known, as the Racecourse and shown clearly on ordinance survey maps, was restored as a gallop in the late 20th century and maintained as such until relatively recently. It is now being farmed as one field with adjoining land and is therefore less distinguishable."
The site on Kidd Lane "has been chosen for its direct connection to Colonel St.Leger’s association with horse racing in the village. Research has shown that this grassed area was in fact formerly the entrance gateway to the Colonel St Leger’s estate - Park Hill. The site adjoins the northern end of the field called Long Close, which local folklore has as being the place that the Colonel would race his horses with those of his horse racing friends. So it is not unreasonable to suggest that the horses were brought down from the stables at Park Hill to this entrance gate to start the race. We are fortunate to have a site with such close and meaningful connection to history and one to which the public will have free access."
Images: Firbeck Parish Council
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