Doncaster Races Today – Read Doncaster Tips from Town Moor Track

Not only is this one of the oldest racecourses in the UK, but you’ll find that Doncaster races today is also one of the biggest. On this page, we explore the history of this famous course, take a look at the track configuration and profile the notable races that we give Doncaster tips on throughout the year.

History of Doncaster Racecourse

There has been racing at Doncaster since at least the end of the 16th Century. Maps of Doncaster from the late Elizabethan era in 1595 show a racecourse on Town Moor.

Cantley Common was another location used for racing in the area, with the Doncaster Cup first taking place there in 1766. A decade later in 1776, the St Leger was first run.

By 1778, this now legendary race moved from the Common, back to Town Moor where the track remains today. In 1800, the St Leger took a big step towards the Classic status it enjoys today, when the aptly named horse Champion followed-up on an earlier Epsom success in the Derby.

From 1813, the race has been contested over an extended mile-and-three-quarters distance. Meanwhile, other now famous races became established.

The Champagne Stakes first took place in 1823, first over a mile, then 6f from 1870 and then switching to its current distance of 7f from 1962. The Park Hill Stakes was first run in 1839 and the Portland Handicap, as the Portland Plate, had its inaugural edition in 1855.

In 1948, the Great Yorkshire Chase was introduced. During the mid-1960s, Doncaster began hosting races on the Flat from other venues that had closed like the Lincoln Handicap in the spring and November Handicap in the autumn.

Doncaster Racecourse made history in 1992 when it became the first course to stage a Sunday meeting in Britain. Some 23,000 spectators attended, even though there was no betting available.

In recent years the course has undergone major redevelopment under the ownership of Arena Racing Company. This makes attending Doncaster races today a thoroughly modern experience, with the Betfred St Leger Festival remaining at the heart of a busy schedule.

Is Doncaster Races Today Flat or Jumps?

Doncaster is one of the busiest racecourses for horse racing, as it hosts both Flat races and jump racing. This ensures that you are never far away from your next lot of Doncaster race tips from Racing Tipster.

There is a straight mile for Flat races up to that distance, which joins the round course about just over half-a-mile from the winning post. That is also the length of the run-in for a Flat race.

A full lap of the round course at Doncaster races today is almost two miles. The race tracks for jumps and those on the level are left-handed, galloping and relatively flat with the exception of climbing up Rose Hill coming out of the back straight.

There is also a spur for round mile races. If you look at the round course from aerial photos, you’ll see that Town Moor looks almost pear-shaped. Our horse racing tips for Doncaster consider the lengthy home stretch.

Long Home Straight Puts Emphasis on Stamina

In hurdle races on Town Moor, horses jump seven flights on a complete circuit. Three of them are down the back, then a cross hurdle on the ascent and three more in the home straight.

The position of the final flight is changeable, so sometimes there is a short run-in and on other occasions longer from the back of the last hurdle to the line. For steeplechases, meanwhile, there are 11 fences on a full lap of Doncaster.

Four of those are in the back straight with the first being a water jump and the third an open ditch. There are three more taken uphill. The middle of these is another ditch. After turning for home, there are four plain fences before the winning post.

We find that front runners tend to do well here when there is quicker ground. The drainage system ensures that there is rarely heavy ground, which is a factor that we consider with our tips for Doncaster races today.

In terms of draw bias, we find that the value of the draw varies depending on the length of the race. There is a draw stall advantage for high draws in Doncaster sprints.

Over longer distances, we find the track tends to be fairer. This is another aspect that we pay attention to when making our Doncaster racing tips.

Key Doncaster Races Fixtures

There are 37 separate race days scheduled at Doncaster Racecourse in 2025. That means that here at Racing Tipster we are regularly providing Doncaster tips today, across the horse racing calendar.

Most months have at least a couple of meetings, with some being much busier. Jump racing starts in late November and runs through until mid-March, the following year.

Then comes the Flat racing season, starting in late March and continuing through until early November. This busy schedule of race fixtures is regularly punctuated with highlights, across both type of racing.

Starting on the jumps in January, there is the Great Yorkshire Chase Day featuring the Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle and River Don Novices’ Hurdle. Another big jumps event comes in late February/early March with the Grimthorpe Chase Day.

In late Match/early April the first Flat event of the year takes place in the form of the Lincoln Handicap. Then after a busy summer comes the highlight of the year at Doncaster races today in September, with the Betfred St Leger Festival taking place.

Aside from the eponymous big race, the four-day St Leger Festival also features the Doncaster Cup, Park Hill Stakes and the Champagne Stakes. The Futurity Trophy Stakes Day comes at the end of October, as the second of two days of racing.

Flat racing comes to a conclusion with the November Handicap at the start of the winter month, before the switch back to the jumps. For Doncaster betting tips on all of these races and more, make sure you regularly drop in on us.

The Biggest Races We Give Doncaster Tips On

Our Doncaster racing tips today feature some very famous races, which we are going to take a look at in this section. Racing Tipster covers all 37 meetings at the course.

As well as providing Doncaster tips, we also bring you all the pre-race form and stats, highlight the non-runners and bring you the latest results. Here are the big races that you can expect to see at Doncaster races today.

St Leger

The famed feature race of the St Leger Festival is the oldest of Britain’s five Classics. Historically, a true champion thoroughbred would go for the 2000 Guineas in the spring, then The Derby at the beginning of summer and then this even longer distance race in the autumn.

Nijinsky, with Lester Piggott on board, provided a historic racing moment in 1970, becoming the last horse to win this Triple Crown. This Group 1 race for 3yo colts and fillies runs over 1m 6f, Jan Bruegel won the £421,355 first prize in 2024.

Weatherbys 2-Y-O Stakes

This is a Sales Race for 2yos over 6.5f on the straight course, which takes place on the opening day of the St Leger Festival. The price that the entered horses fetch at the Sales determine the weight that they carry.

Hallasan took home the first prize of £192,650 in 2024, just beating Camille Pissarro, with the latter being a popular pick among those giving tips for Doncaster today.

Futurity Trophy

A mile Group 1 race for 2yo colts and fillies held towards the end of October, this was the brainchild of Timeform founder Phil Bull. First run in 1961 and attaining its current status 10 years later, it has seen six winners subsequently win The Derby at Epsom the following season.

It is also a useful Classic trial for the 2000 Guineas, the following spring. Notable winners include King’s Theatre, High Chaparral, Authorized, Camelot, Kingston Hill and Kameko. The latest to join that list was Hotazhell in 2024, claiming a £127,500 first prize.

Champagne Stakes

This 7f Group 2 contest for 2yo colts and geldings dates back to 1823. Rodrigo De Triano and Poet’s Voice are notable winners from the modern era.

Bay City Roller won the £88,800 first prize in 2024. Horses that enjoy success in this race often compete in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket the following month, with Chaldean the last horse to win both races in 2022.

Park Hill Stakes

First run in 1839, the Park Hill Stakes is a Group 2 contest for 3yo+ fillies and mares over the same course and distance as the St Leger. Run on the opening day of the Festival, Nakheel took home the £85,000 first prize in 2024.

Notable past winners include Pretty Polly, May Hill and Simple Verse. Those first two females have their own races named after them.

Doncaster Cup

This is the oldest race that is held at Doncaster today. It’s a A Group 2 contest for stayers over 2m 2f, first held in 1766 as the Doncaster Gold Cup.

The Doncaster Cup is the third leg of the old Stayers Triple Crown on the Flat after the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup. It’s held the day before the St Leger, with Sweet William winning the £79,400 first prize in 2024.

Park Stakes

A 7f Group 2 contest (since 2004) run on St Leger day and open to 3yos and up. Some famous horses have been successful in this race include Pastoral Pursuits and Iffraaj. First prize in 2024 was £79,400, with Kinross becoming the fourth dual winner.

Lincoln Handicap

As the name suggests, this race began life in Lincoln, before switching to Doncaster in 1965.  This straight mile Heritage Handicap takes place on the first day of the Flat turf season in late March or early April.

Open to horses aged four years and older, it is the feature event on the first Saturday of the Flat season. The first prize in 2024 was £77,300, with Mr Professor the winner.

Flying Childers Stakes

A 5f Group 2 race for 2yos on the Friday of the St Leger Festival, which takes place on the straight course. It was originally known as the Norfolk Stakes when first held in 1967, later being named after Flying Childers, an 18th century racehorse bred near Doncaster.

This takes place on the third day of the St Leger Festival. The 2024 winner was Aesterius, who claimed the £73,700 first prize.

May Hill Stakes

An addition to the St Leger Festival schedule in 1976, this race is named after the 1975 Yorkshire Oaks and Park Hill Stakes winner of the same name. A straight mile contest for 2yo fillies, it picked up Group 2 status in 2003.

Currently run on the opening day of the St Leger Festival, the likes of Height Of Fashion, Laurens and Inspiral are all notable past winners. The first prize was worth £68,000 in 2024, which went to Desert Flower.

Great Yorkshire Chase

A three-mile handicap chase with Premier Handicap status, this is the big betting race at the end of January meeting. First run in 1948, the Great Yorkshire Chase reflects the location of Doncaster.

With a first prize in 2025 of almost £57,000, it is the most valuable handicap chase run in any Riding of the White Rose County. Famous winners include Knock Hard, ESB, Nicholaus Silver and Bregawn. Ziga Boy is the only horse to taste victory twice in the race.

Portland Handicap

Another race on the St Leger card is the Heritage Handicap which is a contest run over 5.5f for 3yos and older.

The 2024 winner and recipient of the £51,500 first prize was American Affair, returned 4/1 favourite after a massive gamble and some experts putting him forward among their Doncaster races tips.

Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes

Previously a mile and now a 7f contest since 1993, the Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes is a Group 3 race for 3yo+ fillies and mares, held on the final day of the St Leger meeting.

Great Generation is the most recent winner, with their 2024 triumph seeing them take home £48,200.

River Don Novices’ Hurdle

This race acts as a Grade 2 trial for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival. Held in January, this National Hunt event runs over 3 miles and is for novice hurdlers.

The most famous winner is Neptune Collonges, who later tasted victory in the Grand National. In 2025 the victor was Yellow Car, claiming a £43,000 first prize.

Yorkshire Silver Vase Mares’ Chase

Held between Christmas and New Year’s Day, this Listed mares only steeplechase runs over an extended two-and-a-half miles.

It’s a relatively new addition to the schedule, having been inaugurated in 2016. La Renommee is the latest winner, commanding the £42,200 first prize in 2024.

Spring Mile Handicap

This Class 2 contest over a straight mile is a consolation race for horses that don’t make the cut for the Lincoln Handicap. Run on the opening day of the flat season, Look Back Smiling won the £38,650 first prize in 2024.

Flying Scotsman Stakes

This race began life in 1983, becoming the Flying Scotsman Stakes in 2013, in honour of the Flying Scotsman locomotive which was built in Doncaster in 1923.

A 2yos only Listed race over 7f, it helped launch the career of Frankel back in 2010. It takes place on the Friday of the St Leger Festival, with the 2024 winner Benevento receiving a £36,860 first prize.

Mallard Handicap

A 0-105 Class 2 handicap over the St Leger course and distance on the Friday of the meeting, for horses 3yo and up. It takes its name from another steam locomotive, the Mallard. First prize in 2024 was just over £36,000 and was won by Faylaq.

Grimthorpe Handicap Chase

This Class 2 3m 2f handicap race is a nominal trial for the Grand National. In practice, however, it is tough for the Grimthorpe winners to get into the big race at Aintree.

This is since the reduction in field size to 34 runners in the world’s most famous steeplechase. The Grimthope had £36,421 on offer for the 2025 winner, a prize scooped by Moroder who previously triumphed in 2023 without landing a race in-between.

November Handicap

A 1m 4f Class 2 handicap for 3yos and up, that is held on the last day of the Flat turf season in the UK in November. Before moving to Doncaster in 1964, the race had Manchester and Pontefract among its previous homes.

First prize in 2024 was just over £36,000 and with Lord Melbourne winning. The November Handicap dates back to 1876 across the Pennines at Manchester.

Gillies Fillies’ Stakes

Introduced in 2003, this Listed race runs over a mile-and-a-quarter for fillies and mares aged three and up. It takes place on the November Handicap card. First prize in 2024 was £35,500 and won by Estrange.

Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle

This Grade 2 mares only hurdle race has a marked increase in distance for 2025 to an extended three miles. Previously it was a two-mile race won by superstar females like Annie Power and Epatante.

Over the new distance in January 2025, Jetara was the winner, earning £34,170.

Wentworth Stakes

Previously the Remembrance Day Stakes, this race received a new name in 1995. It’s a Listed 6f sprint race on the November Handicap card for 3yos and up.

The filly Pipalong and gelding Dream Of Dreams are notable winners of this as 3yos who went on to Group 1 successes later in their careers. First prize in 2024 was just over £34,000 and Room Service scooped that at racing odds of 100/30..

Doncaster Mile

A Listed race over the straight mile on the opening day of the Flat turf season. The Doncaster Mile is for 4yo horses and up.

Notable recent winners include Belardo and Charyn. The latter won the £34,000 first prize in 2024, with the 2/1 favourite a common selection among those giving predictions for Doncaster races today.

Cammidge Trophy

Another Listed race on the opening day of the season, this is a 6f sprint open to horses aged 3 and up. It is also on the straight course, with first prize in 2024 just over £34,000 and won by Montassib.

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