The St Leger was won last year by Eldar Eldarov for Roger Varian and was sponsored by Cazoo; like the Derby and Oaks, Betfred will now replace those Classic races as title sponsor
Thursday 4 May 2023 12:29, UK
This year's St Leger Festival at Doncaster will be sponsored by Betfred, with the bookmaker signing a multi-year partnership including the final Classic of the season on Town Moor.
The four-day meeting in September will see the title sponsors supporting a number of races across the programme including the lucrative Doncaster Cup, won in 2022 by Coltrane, and the informative Champagne Stakes.
This move comes after Betfred took over as sponsor of the Derby and Oaks at Epsom last month, following Cazoo cutting their deal with the Classic after two years.
Cazoo's deal with the St Leger meeting also looks to have come to an end, having sponsored the Classic in 2022 won by Eldar Eldarov.
That meant the Derby would be sponsored by a bookmaker for the first time following the announcement of a three-year deal.
Betfred boss, Fred Done, said, "To have the Betfred name attached to the St Leger Festival is not just a sponsorship but a privilege.
"I am proud to be associated with the world's oldest Classic which is obviously synonymous with great horses like Triple Crown winner Nijinsky, Dunfermline for the Queen and Oh So Sharp for Sir Henry Cecil."
Arena Racing Company chief executive, Martin Cruddace, said, "We are absolutely delighted to welcome Betfred as the headline sponsors of the St Leger Festival and of the Betfred St Leger itself.
"Fred Done and his team have long been keen supporters of British racing, and the inclusion of this historic race meeting into their sponsorship portfolio is another indication of their commitment to the sport.
"The whole sport is extremely fortunate to benefit from working in partnership with Fred and his team and we very much look forward to a fantastic Betfred St Leger Festival in September."
