The event was established in 1766, and it was originally called the Doncaster Gold Cup. It pre-dates Doncaster's St. Leger Stakes by ten years, and is the venue's oldest surviving race. It was initially held at Cantley Common, and moved to its present location in 1776.
During the early part of its history the race was contested over 4 miles. It was shortened to 2 miles and 5 furlongs in 1825, and reduced to 2 miles and 2 furlongs in 1891. It was cut by another furlong in 1908, and restored to its previous length in 1927.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Doncaster Cup was classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 in 2003.
一方で、セントレジャーステークスは当初より3歳馬のレースであるが、初代の優勝馬は無名の鹿毛の牝馬だった。これは当時 (3歳馬は1913年、2歳馬は1946年まで) は競走馬に正式な名前をつける義務がなかったためで、当時の記録には 「br. b. f. by Sampson」 などの略称で示された。
そして後世になってこの馬はアラバキュリア (Allabaculia) と名付けられた。
The filly that would be named Allabaculia was foaled in 1773 at the estate of the Marquess of Rockingham. She was sired by Sampson.
1776: three-year-old season
In her first start, Rockingham's brown-bay filly was third in a 25-guinea subscription race at Nottingham. The St. Leger Stakes was not formally run under that name until 1778. At the time of the race's founding on Tuesday, 24 September 1776, it was a small subscription race run over two miles at Doncaster for 25 guineas per subscription. None of the six contenders were formally named and consisted of Lord Rockingham's "br. b. f. by Sampson", Colonel St. Leger's bay filly by Surly, Mr. Wentworth's bay colt by Doge, Lord Scarborough's chestnut colt by Remus, Mr. Foljambe's bay filly by a Son of Blank and Mr. Farrer's grey colt by Bay-Malton. The Rockingham filly won, followed by the Surly filly and the Doge colt.
1777: four-year-old season
On 17 March, the "brown-bay filly by Sampson" was fourth in the Craven Stakes held at the Newmarket meeting. The filly contended with 29 horses, losing to Maiden, Plunder and an unnamed colt by Gimcrack. She was fifth in a subscription race a few days later. This was the last start of her career. A mare named Allabaculia does not appear in the General Stud Book compiled by the Weatherby family in the early 1800s.
