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2027 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 is run over a distance of seven furlongs and is open to runners aged three years old.
One for the outsiders
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
City of Doncaster Handicap Information:
- City of Doncaster Handicap Past Winners
- City of Doncaster Handicap Trainer Statistics
- City of Doncaster Handicap Jockey Statistics
We also have a dedicated Doncaster tips page that will cover this race, as well as all the other races on the day. See which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are predicting to win this race and the others on the cards. 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 2026 (UKGC Regulated)
How competitive is the City of Doncaster Handicap market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 16 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2019, when the race had an over-round of 108%. The race in 2025 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 133%, whilst on average over the last 16 renewals of the City of Doncaster Handicap, the over-round has been 117%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £117 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2027 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.
These are the top three quickest-run City of Doncaster Handicap races over the last 16 renewals:
- Inishbeg (1:23.10) in 2026
- Haqeeqy (1:23.98) in 2020
- Modern News (1:24.00) in 2021
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 16 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the City of Doncaster Handicap next time out, then you would have backed a total of 5 winners. Backing all 15 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +6.66. Whilst we wait for the 2027 City of Doncaster Handicap, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the expert tipsters on the racing predictions page.
The runner that holds the record over the past 16 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2013 renewal when Breton Rock from David Simcock under the guidance of Martin Lane, won in a time of 1:27.46, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Inishbeg, trained by Kevin Ryan and ridden by Jack Nicholls set the quickest time of 1:23.10 in the 2026 renewal.
City of Doncaster Handicap Past Winners
Here are the City of Doncaster Handicap past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the race year, the winning horse, and the horse's age & weight. Also detailed are the stall from which the horse came 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 1:23.10 | Inishbeg (IRE) 3yo 8-5 (13 of 14) 33/1 | Jack Nicholls (3lbs) Kevin Ryan (GB) |
| 2025 1:24.62 | Rogue Diplomat (IRE) 3yo 8-13 (12 of 16) 14/1 | Harry Davies James Owen (GB) |
| 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) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the City of Doncaster Handicap have been based:
- GB: 16 winners with an additional 30 placings from 163 runners
- IRE: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
City of Doncaster Handicap Trainer Statistics
There are multiple leading trainers in the City of Doncaster Handicap over the last 16 renewals, with Richard Fahey, Kevin Ryan, Roger Varian, and Charlie Appleby all having won the race twice. Richard Fahey winners have been with Stamp Hill (2016) and Best Alliance (2018). Kevin Ryan's winners have been with Lightning Cloud (2011) and Inishbeg (2026). Roger Varian winners have been with Lahore (2017) and Mutamaasik (2019). Charlie Appleby winners have been with Modern News (2021) and New Kingdom (2022).
Here are some of the top City of Doncaster Handicap trainer statistics over the last 16 renewals (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Fahey | 10-2-4 | +17.00 | +18.06 |
| Kevin Ryan | 7-2-3 | +36.00 | +23.69 |
| Roger Varian | 7-2-2 | -0.67 | -2.90 |
| Charlie Appleby | 6-2-3 | +11.50 | +7.64 |
| K R Burke | 6-1-2 | -0.50 | +1.50 |
| John Gosden | 3-1-2 | +10.00 | +7.88 |
| Michael Bell | 3-1-1 | +5.50 | +3.69 |
| Brian Meehan | 2-1-1 | +13.00 | +8.40 |
| David Simcock | 2-1-2 | +11.00 | +7.30 |
| James Owen | 1-1-1 | +14.00 | +8.75 |
City of Doncaster Handicap Jockey Statistics
Two jockeys have led the City of Doncaster Handicap over the last 16 renewals, with both William Buick and Harry Davies winning the race twice. William Buick's winners have been Modern News (2021) and New Kingdom (2022). Harry Davies' winners have been Telemark (2024) and Rogue Diplomat (2025).
Here are some of the top City of Doncaster Handicap jockey statistics over the last 16 renewals (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Buick | 7-2-4 | +10.50 | +8.58 |
| Harry Davies | 2-2-2 | +26.00 | +15.95 |
| Silvestre De Sousa | 6-1-3 | -1.50 | +3.04 |
| Jamie Spencer | 5-1-2 | +3.50 | +3.49 |
| Jack Nicholls | 2-1-1 | +32.00 | +19.63 |
| Sam James | 2-1-2 | +3.50 | +4.70 |
| Tony Hamilton | 1-1-1 | +5.00 | +3.13 |
| Andrea Atzeni | 6-0-3 | -6.00 | +0.87 |
| Sean Levey | 5-0-2 | -5.00 | +0.73 |
| Oisin Murphy | 5-0-0 | -5.00 | -3.00 |
2027 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, 9, 4
The percentage shown is the proportion of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 16 / 16 (66%) - No bigger than 12/1 (Career Place)
- 16 / 16 (79%) - Off a break of 17 - 109 days
- 16 / 16 (82%) - Not on SFT/FM/STD (Debut)
- 16 / 16 (84%) - Fewer than 3 races (Higher Class)
- 16 / 16 (85%) - Held an OR of 83+ (Hcps)
- 16 / 16 (87%) - No bigger than 25/1 (Debut)
- 16 / 16 (88%) - No bigger than 12/1 (Career Win)
- 16 / 16 (89%) - Highest Placed is not G2-3/LST
- 15 / 16 (75%) - Within the first 8 of the market
- 15 / 16 (82%) - Won within last 6 starts
- 14 / 16 (66%) - No bigger than 14/1
- 14 / 16 (71%) - Won by at least ½l (Last Win)
- 14 / 16 (73%) - Achieved a TS of 54+ (LTO)
- 14 / 16 (77%) - No bigger than 14/1 (LTO)
- 14 / 16 (85%) - Achieved a TS of 65+ (Season)
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
2027 City of Doncaster Handicap Runners & Shortlist
The runners and the final trends shortlist for the 2027 renewal of the City of Doncaster Handicap will be added once the final declarations are confirmed, which are usually made 48 hours before the race.
City of Doncaster Handicap Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 8+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +63.50, 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 0-40.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2026: Winner in 13 (3,6) [14 Runners]
- 2025: Winner in 12 (10,16,17) [16 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 10 (8,1) [9 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 6 (9,8) [8 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 6 (3,2) [10 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 male runners having produced a total of 15 winners from a total of 150 runners, while female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 14 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 16 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Inishbeg in 2026, winning for Kevin Ryan at odds of 33/1 under the guidance of Jack Nicholls. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 16 renewals, there have been 3 winning favourites in the race. Whilst we wait for the 2027 City of Doncaster Handicap, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the top racing tipsters on the best racing tipsters page.
Route to the City of Doncaster Handicap
Many trainers target races as preparation for the City of Doncaster Handicap. These are the races in which the recent winners ran before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2026 - Inishbeg Carlisle - 8th of 14 (14/1) | Silver Bowl |
| 2025 - Rogue Diplomat Southwell (AW) - 1st of 10 (6/1) | Reach Flower Pod Southwell Handicap |
| 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 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) | Newmarket Handicap Stakes |
| 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 |
Principal races during the Doncaster St Leger Festival
Here is the schedule for the four-day St Leger Festival races, which we cover with blogs. Each race will be linked to the race blog and will 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 May Hill Stakes, where the two-year-olds feature and then the Park Hill Fillies Stakes, where the older fillies compete. We also have the 2-y-o Stakes, a valuable Class Two race.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Carrie Red Fillies Nursery | Speed Of Sound (IRE) 2yo - 7/4 | Richard Spencer Saffie Osborne |
| Doncaster 2yo Stakes | Night In Vegas (IRE) 2yo - 5/6 | Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop |
| May Hill Stakes | Musical Times (IRE) 2yo - 7/4 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
| Park Hill Stakes | Waardah (IRE) 4yo - 5/2 | Owen Burrows Callum Rodriguez |
| St Leger Festival Middle Distance Handicap | Devils Peak (GB) 3yo - 15/8 | John & Thady Gosden William Buick |
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. The Flying Childers Stakes is another race on Friday, which carries a decent purse on offer for the two-year-olds.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Doncaster Cup | Caballo De Mar (IRE) 5yo - 5/6 | George Scott Oisin Murphy |
| Flying Childers Stakes | Final Objective (IRE) 2yo - 9/4 | Hamad Al Jehani James Doyle |
| Flying Scotsman Stakes | Forbidden Fire (GB) 2yo - 9/2 | Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy |
Saturday at St Leger Festival
The feature race of the festival, the Group 1 St Leger, takes place on Saturday, another race which is part of the British Champion Series. The three races before the St Leger all carry decent purses too: the Champagne Stakes, the Portland and the Park Stakes.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Champagne Stakes | Desert Castle (GB) 2yo - 1/1 | Charlie Appleby Billy Loughnane |
| Park Stakes | More Thunder (IRE) 5yo - 4/5 | William Haggas Tom Marquand |
| Portland Heritage Handicap | Air Force One (IRE) 5yo - 11/2 | Geoff Oldroyd Clifford Lee |
| St Leger | Highwayman (FR) 3yo - 11/1 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien Saffie Osborne |
| St Leger Festival Mile Handicap | Scoville (GB) 4yo - 5/1 | William Haggas Daniel Tudhope |
| St Leger Festival Ten Furlong Handicap | Thunder Run (IRE) 5yo - 11/4 | K R Burke Clifford Lee |
Sunday at St Leger Festival
Sunday is a bit more low-key, with only one class one race, which is the Sceptre Stakes for the fillies over 7f, and there are also some decent handicaps carrying good purses.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| City of Doncaster Handicap | Inishbeg (IRE) 3yo - 33/1 | Kevin Ryan Jack Nicholls |
| Mallard Handicap | Valedictory (GB) 4yo - 7/4 | John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin |
| Sceptre Stakes | Pina Sonata (GB) 4yo - 12/1 | James Fanshawe Daniel Muscutt |
| St Leger Festival Sprint Handicap | Blue Brother (FR) 5yo - 5/2 | Hamad Al Jehani Callum Rodriguez |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this City of Doncaster Handicap Preview are Andy and James. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for Flat racing.
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