Doncaster Racecourse 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 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
Frederick York St Leger Frederick York St Leger Frederick York St Leger was the Irish born founder of the Cape Times newspaper in South Africa, and Anglican priest. He was born in Limerick, Ireland on 20 March 1833. He married Christiana Emma Mudelle of Maidstone, Kent, England, in 1856, and they moved to South Africa, they went on to have eight children, their eldest being Frederick Luke St Leger (1857 - 1938), another son Colonel Stratford Edward St Leger (1867-1935) was a member of the Royal Irish Regiment. His granddaughter was the artist and poet Joan St Leger Lindbergh. The Revd F.Y. St. Leger