Established on Cantley Common, Doncaster in 1776, at the suggestion of Lieutenant Colonel Anthony St. Leger, whose name it bears, the St. Leger Stakes is the oldest of the five British Classics. Of course, it is worth remembering that until 1966 the Jockey Club refused to issue training licences to women but, even so, in over half a century since womankind was officially recognised by the governing body, just one member of the ‘fair sex’ has saddled the winner of the St. Leger.
The groundbreaking trained was, in fact, Laura Mongan, who is based at Condover Stables in Epsom, Surrey, where she is assisted by her husband, former jockey Ian Mongan. On September 10, 2016, she sent out Harbour Law, ridden by George Baker, to win the Doncaster Classic in highly dramatic circumstances. The son of Prix du Jockey Club winner Lawman had not been beaten far in either the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot or the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket – both recognised trials for the St. Leger – but, in the face of strong opposition, including three runners trained by Aidan O’Brien, was sent off eighth choice of the nine runners at Doncaster, at 22/1.
However, the complexion of race changed completely when one of the O’Brien-trained runners, the odds-on favourite, Idaho, took a false step, stumbled and unseated his rider, just after the four-furlong marker. Thereafter, Ventura Storm, trained by Richard Hannon, and Housesofparliament, a stable companion of Idaho, duelled for the lead for much of the last quarter of a mile, but Harbour Law bore down on the leading pair close home and stayed on well to win by three-quarters of length and short head in a driving finish. Reflecting on her success, with her first runner in a Group 1 race, of any description, Mongan said, ‘To go down in history as the first woman to win it is amazing, at least I’ve done something right.’