You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident youâre betting with more than just gut instinct.
2025 City of Doncaster Handicap Preview
Introduced in 2007 and run at the St Leger Festival at Doncaster in September of each year is this class two handicap that is run over a distance of seven furlongs and is open to runners aged three years old.
For sponsorship purposes, the 2025 renewal of the City of Doncaster Handicap will hold the title of 'Betfred City Of Doncaster Handicap'.
City of Doncaster Handicap Information:
- City of Doncaster Handicap Past Winners
- City of Doncaster Handicap Trainer Statistics
- City of Doncaster Handicap Jockey Statistics
Our dedicated Doncaster tips page will not only bring you predictions from the OLBG racing tipsters for the upcoming card that includes the City of Doncaster Handicap, but will also have predictions for each meeting at Doncaster throughout the season, so be sure to head over there. You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal races during the Doncaster St Leger Festival section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2025
How competitive is the City of Doncaster Handicap market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 14 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2019 when the race had an over-round of 108%. The race in 2013 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 124%, whilst on average over the last 14 renewals of the City of Doncaster Handicap, the over-round has been 115%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £115 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2025 City of Doncaster Handicap Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the City of Doncaster Handicap Trend Analysis. With the field now finalised, we have the City of Doncaster Handicap Trend Shortlist, which is created using the listed trends.
These are the top three quickest-run City of Doncaster Handicap races over the last 14 renewals:
- Haqeeqy (1:23.98) in 2020
- Modern News (1:24.00) in 2021
- Sulaalaat (1:24.12) in 2015
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 14 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the City of Doncaster Handicap next time out, then you would have backed a total of 4 winners. Backing all 14 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +4.16. Ahead of the 2025 City of Doncaster Handicap, why not head over to the racing predictions for tips on other races today?
When looking over the past 14 renewals, a time of 1:23.98 was set by Haqeeqy in 2020, which is the quickest time over that period. The runner was trained by John Gosden and ridden by Jim Crowley. The slowest winning time was set in 2013 when Breton Rock won in a time of 1:27.46, booked to ride was Martin Lane by trainer David Simcock.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
City of Doncaster Handicap Past Winners
Here are the City of Doncaster Handicap past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won, along with the age & weight of the horse. Also detailed is the stall where the horse came from and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the City of Doncaster Handicap are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 1:26.17 | Telemark (IRE) 3yo 9-4 (10 of 9) 12/1 | Harry Davies Simon & Ed Crisford (GB) |
| 2023 1:24.17 | Poet Master (IRE) 3yo 9-3 (6 of 8) 9/2 | Sam James K R Burke (GB) |
| 2022 1:24.93 | New Kingdom (GB) 3yo 9-9 (6 of 10) 14/1 | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2021 1:24.00 | Modern News (GB) 3yo 9-5 (4 of 7) 6/4F | William Buick Charlie Appleby (GB) |
| 2020 1:23.98 | Haqeeqy (IRE) 3yo 8-13 (5 of 13) 12/1 | Jim Crowley John Gosden (GB) |
| 2019 1:26.79 | Mutamaasik (GB) 3yo 9-7 (1 of 4) 5/6F | Jim Crowley Roger Varian (GB) |
| 2018 1:25.63 | Best Alliance (IRE) 3yo 8-3 (3 of 8) 20/1 | Paul Hanagan Richard Fahey (GB) |
| 2017 1:26.66 | Lahore (USA) 3yo 8-9 (6 of 8) 7/2F | Silvestre De Sousa Roger Varian (GB) |
| 2016 1:26.62 | Stamp Hill (IRE) 3yo 9-3 (7 of 6) 5/1 | Tony Hamilton Richard Fahey (GB) |
| 2015 1:24.12 | Sulaalaat (GB) 3yo 9-5 (3 of 8) 14/1 | Paul Hanagan Brian Meehan (GB) |
City of Doncaster Handicap Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the City of Doncaster Handicap over the last 14 renewals is Charlie Appleby, who has won the race two times, with those two winners coming from Modern News (2021) and New Kingdom (2022).
Here are the City of Doncaster Handicap trainer statistics over the last 14 renewals for trainers who have entries in the 2025 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Appleby | 5-2-3 | +12.50 | +8.64 |
| K R Burke | 2-1-2 | +3.50 | +5.50 |
| Richard Hannon | 7-0-1 | -7.00 | -1.65 |
| William Haggas | 7-0-2 | -7.00 | -2.77 |
| Andrew Balding | 4-0-1 | -4.00 | -0.30 |
| Ralph Beckett | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | +0.00 |
| Hugo Palmer | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | +0.00 |
| Jack Channon | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Kevin Philippart De Foy | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Tom Clover | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
City of Doncaster Handicap Jockey Statistics
Here are the City of Doncaster Handicap jockey statistics over the last 14 renewals for jockeys who have rides in the 2025 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silvestre De Sousa (Morte Point) | 5-1-2 | -0.50 | +2.48 |
| Jamie Spencer (Angel Hunter) | 4-1-2 | +4.50 | +4.49 |
| Harry Davies (Rogue Diplomat) | 1-1-1 | +12.00 | +7.20 |
| Tom Eaves (Intrusively) | 3-0-0 | -3.00 | -1.00 |
| Tom Marquand (Showering) | 3-0-1 | -3.00 | -1.87 |
| Saffie Osborne (Pietro) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Callum Rodriguez (Up The Pace) | 1-0-1 | -1.00 | +2.00 |
| Shane Gray (Andesite) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | +0.00 |
| P J McDonald (Brighton Boy) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
2025 City of Doncaster Handicap Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): (6, 7), 6, 4, (8, 10), (3, 7), 3, 1, 5, 1, 9, 1, 5, 4, 7
The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 14 / 14 (66%) - No bigger than 12/1 (Career Place)
- 14 / 14 (79%) - Within the first 8 of the market
- 14 / 14 (81%) - No bigger than 20/1
- 14 / 14 (81%) - Off a break of 17 - 109 days
- 14 / 14 (82%) - Not on SFT/FM/STD (Debut)
- 14 / 14 (83%) - Fewer than 3 races (Higher Class)
- 14 / 14 (84%) - Carried 120 - 137lbs (LTO)
- 14 / 14 (84%) - Not on FM/STD-SLW/STD (Last Win)
- 14 / 14 (85%) - Held an OR of 83+ (Hcps)
- 14 / 14 (87%) - No bigger than 25/1 (Debut)
- 14 / 14 (88%) - In a field of 5 - 14 (Last Win)
- 14 / 14 (88%) - Achieved an RPR of 90+ (Last 5)
- 14 / 14 (89%) - Highest Placed is not G2-3/LST
- 13 / 14 (82%) - Won within last 6 starts
- 12 / 14 (86%) - Achieved a TS of 65+ (Last 3)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Doncaster racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the City of Doncaster Handicap. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the City of Doncaster Handicap by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
City of Doncaster Handicap Trend Shortlist
Doncaster will host the 2025 renewal of the City of Doncaster Handicap, which will be run at 2:30 pm on Sunday, 14th September 2025, and these are the runners who perform best based on the trends, along with the trainer and jockey and their record in the race (Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP):
- 15/15 Back In Black (10/1)
- James Fanshawe (0-0-0 0.00 / 0.00)
- Daniel Muscutt (0-0-0 0.00 / 0.00)
- 15/15 Defence Minister (10/1)
- Hamad Al Jehani (0-0-0 0.00 / 0.00)
- Faleh Bughenaim (0-0-0 0.00 / 0.00)
Others: God Of War (14/15), Indian Springs (14/15), Spell Master (14/15), Andesite (13/15), Lakers (13/15), Rogue Diplomat (13/15), Sarab Star (13/15), Up The Pace (13/15), Brighton Boy (12/15), El Matador (12/15), Showering (12/15), Morte Point (11/15), Tiger Mask (11/15), Angel Hunter (10/15), Pietro (10/15), Intrusively (9/15) and The Waco Kid (9/15).
*Trainer & Jockey numbers are Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP, Runners, Odds and Trends Passed/Failed correct at the time of posting (2:11 pm Friday 12th September 2025), if no odds were available at the time of posting, then forecasted odds are used.
City of Doncaster Handicap Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 7+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +44.50, is when runners had 0 starts in the past 30 days.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had a furthest trip placed of 1m, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-33.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2024: Winner in 10 (8,1) [9 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 6 (9,8) [8 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 6 (3,2) [10 Runners]
- 2021: Winner in 4 (3) [7 Runners]
- 2020: Winner in 5 (9,7) [13 Runners]
The courses that have produced the most winners of the City of Doncaster Handicap are Goodwood and Newmarket (July); there have been a total of 4 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with the Male runners having produced a total of 13 winners from a total of 124 runners, whilst the Female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 10 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the City of Doncaster Handicap:
- Dubawi (2 Wins)
- Lope De Vega (2 Wins)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 14 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Best Alliance in 2018, winning for Richard Fahey at odds of 20/1 under the guidance of Paul Hanagan. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 14 renewals, there have been 3 winning favourites in the race. Before placing your bet on the 2025 City of Doncaster Handicap, head over to see which other runners today are being backed by the best racing tipsters.
Route to the City of Doncaster Handicap
Many trainers will target races to use as prep races before coming to the City of Doncaster Handicap. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2024 - Telemark Goodwood - 8th of 14 (16/1) | William Hill Most Top Price Runners Handicap |
| 2023 - Poet Master Haydock - 8th of 13 (3/1) | Betfred Play Freds £5 Million Handicap |
| 2022 - New Kingdom York - 11th of 14 (9/1) | Ebor Festival Mile Heritage Handicap |
| 2021 - Modern News Newmarket (July) - 1st of 8 (11/4) | Joyce And Charlie Guest Memorial Handicap |
| 2020 - Haqeeqy Newmarket (July) - 10th of 10 (6/1) | bet365 Mile Handicap |
| 2019 - Mutamaasik Newmarket (July) - 1st of 6 (6/4) | 32Red Casino Handicap |
| 2018 - Best Alliance Thirsk - 9th of 13 (14/1) | Peter Bell Memorial Handicap |
| 2017 - Lahore Deauville - 5th of 7 (97/10) | Prix de Meautry Barriere |
| 2016 - Stamp Hill Goodwood - 9th of 14 (10/1) | Qatar Stakes |
| 2015 - Sulaalaat Newmarket (July) - 8th of 12 (10/1) | Price Bailey EBF Stallions Fillies Handicap |
Other Principal races during the Doncaster St Leger Festival
Here is the schedule for the four-day St Leger Festival for races, which we cover with blogs. Each race will be linked to the race blog and detail last year's winner in the table below.
Thursday at St Leger Festival
There are a couple of Group 2s which take centre-stage on the opening day of the St Leger Festival, the £120k May Hill Stakes, where the two-year-olds feature and then the £150k Park Hill Fillies Stakes, where the older fillies compete. We also have the £300k 2-y-o Stakes, a valuable class two race.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Carrie Red Fillies Nursery | Half Sovereign (FR) 2yo - 9/4 | K R Burke Clifford Lee |
| Doncaster 2yo Stakes | Calendar Girl (GB) 2yo - 7/2 | Owen Burrows Saffie Osborne |
| May Hill Stakes | Aylin (IRE) 2yo - 5/1 | K R Burke David Egan |
| Park Hill Stakes | Santorini Star (IRE) 4yo - 7/2 | William Haggas Tom Marquand |
| St Leger Festival Middle Distance Handicap | Munsif (IRE) 3yo - 5/2 | Roger Varian Ray Dawson |
Friday at St Leger Festival
On Friday, the feature race of the day is the Group 2 Doncaster Cup, which is part of the British Champion Series and carries a £150k purse. The Flying Childers Stakes is another race on Friday, which carries a decent purse, £130k on offer for the two-year-olds.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard Handicap | Faylaq (GB) 8yo - 18/1 | Jim Goldie Amie Waugh |
| Flying Scotsman Stakes | Benevento (IRE) 2yo - 7/1 | Raphael E Freire David Egan |
| Flying Childers Stakes | Aesterius (IRE) 2yo - 7/2 | Archie Watson James Doyle |
| Doncaster Cup | Sweet William (IRE) 5yo - 7/4 | John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin |
Saturday at St Leger Festival
The feature race of the festival, the St Leger, takes place on Saturday, another race which is part of the British Champion Series, this Group 1 carries a purse of £700k. The three races before the St Leger all carry decent purses too, the Champagne Stakes (£150k), the Portland (£100k) and the Park Stakes (£140k).
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| PJ Towey Construction Handicap | Johan (GB) 7yo - 18/1 | Jack Channon Rossa Ryan |
| Champagne Stakes | Bay City Roller (IRE) 2yo - 9/2 | George Scott Callum Shepherd |
| Portland Heritage Handicap | American Affair (GB) 4yo - 4/1 | Jim Goldie Paul Mulrennan |
| Park Stakes | Kinross (GB) 7yo - 11/4 | Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan |
| St Leger | Jan Brueghel (IRE) 3yo - 11/4 | A P O'Brien Sean Levey |
| Mastiff Manor Handicap | Daysofourlives (IRE) 4yo - 100/30 | Marco Botti Jack Mitchell |
Sunday at St Leger Festival
Sunday is a bit more low-key, only one class one race, which is the £85k Sceptre Stakes for the fillies over 7f, and there are also a couple of decent handicaps carrying good purses of £70k and £65k.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| City of Doncaster Handicap | Telemark (IRE) 3yo - 12/1 | Simon & Ed Crisford Harry Davies |
| Betfred 'The Classic Bookmaker' Handicap | Baldomero (IRE) 6yo - 10/1 | Michael Appleby Silvestre De Sousa |
| Sceptre Stakes | Great Generation (IRE) 3yo - 8/1 | Marco Botti Marco Ghiani |
Article Contributor Information
We are blessed with an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to creating and maintaining this City of Doncaster Handicap Preview are at hand, Andy and James. They both work on the Horse racing tips team team looking after the tipsters and managing the tips settlement, whilst also creating and managing all of the horse racing event previews for Flat Racing.
James Banting
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
