The Clipper Logistics
Legends Classified Stakes (3.35pm), which sees 16 riders return to the saddle
in aid of Jack Berry House and the Northern Racing College, is being staged for
the fourth time at Doncaster on Crown Hotel Bawtry Opening Day, Wednesday, September
11.
The line up features Carl
Llewellyn, who captured the Grand National on Party Politics in 1992 and Earth
Summit in 1998, and Derby-winning jockey Michael Hills, who rode over 2000
winners worldwide.
Kevin Darley won the Flat
jockeys' championship in 2000 and returns for another crack at this unique
contest after finishing seventh last year, while Willie Supple, who partnered
over 800 winners in Britain and Ireland, has his first ride in race.
Other notable names
include Ladbrokes St Leger-winning jockey John Reid, leading Northern trainer
David O'Meara and At The Races presenter Luke Harvey.
The mile event has been
organised by the Professional Jockeys' Association's Industry Liaison Officer
Dale Gibson, who will also be riding in the race.
Gibson said: "I'm
very happy with the jockeys we have got riding this year. It has always been
ideal to refresh as many participants as possible each year and obviously some
people become available and some become unavailable.
"We have got a Grand National
winning jockey in Carl Llewellyn, Willie Supple is coming over from Ireland,
and then we have Classic winning riders in Michael Hills and John Reid, so it
is a really good turnout.
"I have spoken to
everybody over the last few days and they are looking forward to it. Jockeys
remain competitive even when they have retired and that competitive edge will
be seen to good effect next week.
"There will be plenty
of banter and I think Frankie (Dettori) is riding at Doncaster on Wednesday, so
having him in the weighing room along with us elderly people - if we can call
ourselves that - will add to it.
"Everyone has been
doing plenty of riding out and fitness work. I have been on the bike for 45
minutes every day for the last month and riding out for Michael Dods on
Saturdays.
"We have got 470
people coming to the charity lunch and there is also a big auction. One of the
prizes is Fred Archer's whip, which is absolutely superb and we have already
had a bid of £5,000 for that. You wouldn't be able to ride with it now of
course, you would probably get a life ban!"
"We have got a good
cross-section of people from the racing industry and those who have supported
us over the last three years continue to do so. It is one of the best race days
of the year.
"We have already
raised £360,000 since the initiative started three years ago and we will aim to
raise six figures this year for Jack Berry House in Malton, which will start
being built very shortly, and the redevelopment of the Northern Racing College.
"They are two great
causes. One is helping people get into racing and the other is helping those
who may have been injured in racing, so it's helping people at both ends of the
spectrum."
The full list of
participants for the Clipper Logistics Legends Classified Stakes is as follows:
Gary Bardwell, Nicky Connorton, Tony Culhane, Kevin Darley, Dale Gibson, Luke
Harvey, Michael Hills, Gay Kelleway, Carl Llewellyn, John Lowe, Willie Newton, David
O'Meara, Ollie Pears, John Reid, Willie Ryan and Willie Supple. Jimmy McCarthy
is a reserve.
The first day of the
Ladbrokes St Leger Festival features the Listed Crown Hotel Bawtry Scarbrough
Stakes (3.00pm, 33 entries) over five furlongs. Last year's renewal was won by
top-class performer Sole Power, who annexed this season's Group One King's Stand
Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The 2013 renewal, worth
£40,000, has attracted a magnificent entry of 33 including Group One scorers
Borderlescott and Tangerine Trees, as well as QIPCO British
Champions Sprint hero Maarek and Gary Moore's improving three-year-old Dutch
Masterpiece.
Jeremy Gask is planning to
run stable star Medicean Man, who was last seen coming home ninth in the
Group Two King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on August 2.
The seven-year-old had
previously run well at the Curragh and Royal Ascot, but his best performance
came when he beat subsequent Group One Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Jwala by a
length in a Listed contest at Haydock on June 7. My Propeller and Miss Lahar,
who finished third and fourth respectively, have also boosted the form with a
Listed win each.
Gask reported: "The
plan is to run Medicean Man in the Crown Hotel Bawtry Scarbrough Stakes. He has
been fine since Goodwood, but it was probably the wrong sort of race for him
and it will be good to get him back on track.
"I think he certainly
didn't handle the downhill section at Goodwood early on and the race was gone
by the time he got going.
"Listed/Group Three
company is about his level, but, under the right conditions, I think he can
still compete at the highest level. Ideally, he wants a stiff five and there
are a couple of races at Ascot later in the year that we will be looking at.
"On his day he is
very good - as we saw at Haydock - but we just need conditions to fall right
for him. Providing he gets that on Wednesday, I would be hopeful of a big
run."
Other notable contenders
include 2011 winner Humidor, the Roger Varian-trained Justineo
and Outer Space, one of five juvenile entries who scored impressively on
his debut at Sandown last month.
The action gets underway
with the £15,000 Arena Group Nursery (2.00pm, 29 entries) over seven furlongs.
Impressive Glorious
Goodwood maiden winner Valonia, trained by Henry Candy, is among 14
entries for the following £20,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Conditions Stakes
(2.30pm) over six furlongs. She will carry the colours of Qatar Racing Limited
for the first time.
The longest race of the
day is the £20,000 Park Hill Hospital Conditions Stakes (4.10pm, 11 entries)
over an extended mile and quarter, which has been won by the likes of Twice
Over and Kirklees in recent years.
A total of 28 entries have
been received for the £20,000 Beauty At Doncaster Handicap (4.45pm) over seven
furlongs, while the concluding Berendsen Workwear Handicap (5.15pm) has
attracted 42 entries.
GOING
The going at Doncaster is
currently GOOD to FIRM.
Roderick Duncan, clerk of
the course, commented today: "The going is currently on the quick side of
good to firm but we are expecting between 10 and 20 millimetres of rain on
Friday.
"The weekend is
forecast to be dry with quite moderate winds and there is a possibility of
showers on Monday.
"We have used a
Vertidrainer on the course and we have a fantastic covering of grass. There is
fresh ground on the round course from the mile and two-furlong point until the
straight, which has been railed off since the early spring fixtures."
About the
Ladbrokes St Leger Festival
The Ladbrokes St Leger
Festival is the jewel in the crown of horseracing in Yorkshire and the
showpiece of Doncaster's social calendar. Racegoers enjoy a delightful blend of
history, quality racing and live entertainment across the four-day racing
extravaganza. The 2013 renewal takes place from Wednesday, September 11 through
to Saturday, September 14 inclusive.
Since the first running of
the St Leger in 1776, racegoers from all over the country have been drawn to
Doncaster to capture a taste of the unique atmosphere.
The famous Festival is one
of the highlights of the Flat racing calendar. The crescendo builds to
Saturday, when the flagship event - the illustrious Ladbrokes St Leger - takes
centre-stage.
The meeting also features
a number of high-class supporting races, highlights being the Crown Hotel
Bawtry Scarbrough Stakes on the Crown Hotel Bawtry Opening Day (Wednesday), the
DFS Park Hill Stakes on DFS Ladies' Day (Thursday), the Speedy Services
Doncaster Cup on Friday and the At The Races Champagne Stakes and OLBG Park
Stakes on Saturday.
To book tickets, please
contact Doncaster Racecourse on 01302 304206 or go to www.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk
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