History
The event is named after Voltigeur, the Yorkshire-trained winner of the Derby and St Leger in 1850. It was established in 1950, and it was initially called the Voltigeur Stakes. The word "Great" was added to the title in 1957.
The Great Voltigeur Stakes serves as a trial for the following month's St Leger, and thirteen horses have achieved victory in both races. The first was Premonition in 1953, and the most recent was Lucarno in 2007. The last participant to subsequently win the St Leger was Encke, third in 2012.
The event is currently held on the opening day of York's four-day Ebor Festival meeting.
Read more about this topic: Great Voltigeur Stakes
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Well, for us, in history where goodness is a rare pearl, he who was good almost takes precedence over he who was great.”
—Victor Hugo (18021885)
“The history of medicine is the history of the unusual.”
—Robert M. Fresco, and Jack Arnold. Prof. Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll)
“The whole history of civilisation is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards.”
—Walter Bagehot (18261877)