British Classics Horse Racing: The 5 Races Betfred Is Leaving

What happened: Betfred walks away from the Classics

On 5 November 2026, bookmaker Betfred said it will not renew its sponsorship of all five British Classics, the most historic flat races in British horse racing. The Classics are five races for three-year-olds: the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Derby and Oaks at Epsom, and the St Leger at Doncaster.

Betfred had verbally agreed a three-year renewal, but it pulled out after the Budget raised machine games duty from 20% to 25%.

In its statement the company called it a decision it did not want to make. It said the "cumulative cost of government policy has left us with no choice."

The racecourses reacted calmly:

• The Jockey Club runs Newmarket and Epsom. Amy Starkey, managing director of its London hub, said it was disappointed but understood Betfred's reasons. The Jockey Club says it is already in talks with several prospective partners.
• Arena Racing Company (ARC) runs Doncaster. It said the decision was no surprise given the Budget and that it hoped to work with Betfred again. It also noted that this year's St Leger drew its highest attendance since 2012.

This isn't only about Betfred. A Racing Post analysis published in October found bookmaker sponsorship of British racing fell 17% after the previous year's Budget tax rises. No new sponsor has been named, and we won't guess who it might be.

What are the British Classics?

The British Classics are five Group 1 flat races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, run every year between late April and September. Each one brings together the best horses of a single age group, with no older rivals, over distances from a mile to about a mile and three-quarters.

They are among the oldest races in the sport. The St Leger was first run in 1776 and the Derby in 1780. The Derby's name was later borrowed by races around the world, from the Kentucky Derby to Australia's Victoria Derby.

The five races at a glance

The season runs in this order:

1. The Guineas (late April or early May). Both are over a straight mile on Newmarket's Rowley Mile. They are speed tests for horses just out of their two-year-old season.
2. The Derby and Oaks (early June). Both are at the Derby Festival at Epsom Downs. The course is famous for its uphill start, steep downhill run and sharp Tattenham Corner. The Derby is traditionally on the first Saturday in June.
3. The St Leger (September). At Doncaster, it is the longest Classic and the oldest. It rewards stamina at the end of a long summer.

If race grades and groups are new to you, our guide to what a Grade 1 race is explains the grading system.

The rules: three-year-olds, fillies and no geldings

A few simple rules make the Classics different from most big races.

• Three-year-olds only. Every Thoroughbred in the Northern Hemisphere shares a 1 January birthday. So the field is one crop of horses meeting each other once, with no older horses.
• Two races are for fillies only. The 1,000 Guineas and the Oaks are the female versions of the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby. Fillies may also take on the colts in the other three, and some have won.
• No geldings in the open races. Geldings (castrated males) are barred from the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby and the St Leger. That is why the Classics are sometimes called breeding tests: they help pick out the future stallions and broodmares.

That last rule matters to fans. A Classic winner usually has a big future at stud, which is why owners and breeders put so much into winning one. Our article on Entrust, the son of Enable, shows how early people start talking about Derby hopes.

The Triple Crown: racing's hardest sweep

The English Triple Crown means winning the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby and the St Leger in the same year. That takes speed in May, a mix of stamina and balance in June and pure stamina in September.

• Fifteen horses have done it.
• The last was Nijinsky in 1970. More than half a century has passed without another.
• Camelot came closest in recent years. In 2012 he won the Guineas and the Derby, then finished second in the St Leger.

There is also a Fillies' Triple Crown: the 1,000 Guineas, the Oaks and the St Leger. The last filly to win it was Oh So Sharp in 1985.

Why is it so rare now? Modern breeding and training mostly focus on speed over a mile to a mile and a half. Many Derby winners skip the St Leger's extra distance to protect their value as stallions. Other countries have their own versions, like the Canadian Triple Crown.

How title sponsorship works

A title sponsor pays a racecourse to put its brand in front of a race's name. That's how the Derby became the "Betfred Derby." The money is usually part of a multi-year deal that can also include branding at the course, hospitality and TV visibility.

Betfred built up its Classics deals in steps:

• 2023: It took over the Derby and the Oaks at Epsom, then added the St Leger at Doncaster later that year.
• Summer 2024: It was announced as sponsor of the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas from 2025, making it the first brand to back all five Classics.
• 2025 and 2026: Its name was on all five races.

What changes when a sponsor leaves

The race name. The official name (the Derby, the Oaks, the St Leger) doesn't change. Only the brand in front of it does. A race can also run with no title sponsor and simply be called by its traditional name.

Prize money. Prize funds come from several streams, including the racecourse, owners' entry fees, betting and media income and sponsors. Losing a sponsor puts pressure on that mix, so courses look for a replacement before the next season. For scale, the Jockey Club made the 2026 Derby a £2 million race, with £1 million to the winner and money paid down to tenth place.

Branding and broadcasts. Expect new logos, race-card names and TV graphics once any new deal is signed.

No one has said that 2027 prize money will drop. That will depend on the deals the Jockey Club and ARC sign.

What to watch next

The next Classic season starts with the Guineas at Newmarket in spring 2027. Here's what to keep an eye on in the meantime:

• Sponsor news. Watch for announcements from the Jockey Club (Newmarket and Epsom) and ARC (Doncaster). One brand could take all five races, or they could be split up again.
• Prize-money announcements. Courses usually confirm race values ahead of the season. Check whether the Derby keeps its £2 million level.
• Two-year-old form. Next year's Classic contenders are this year's top juveniles. Autumn races such as the Dewhurst and Fillies' Mile, run in October, gave early pointers toward the Guineas.
• The wider picture. Other bookmaker-backed races may face the same pressure, and some fans are watching how racing adapts.

New to racing terms like colt, filly and furlong? Our glossary covers them, and the trends page has more racing explainers. For one of the biggest days of the 2026 British flat season, read our British Champions Day 2026 recap.