Doncaster Racecourse will always hold a special place in legendary Yorkshire-based trainer Mark Johnston’s heart. 

Johnston became the most successful British trainer of all time when Frankie Dettori rode Poet’s Society to victory at York in 2018.

Four years later, Johnston Racing celebrated a staggering 5,000th winner – including magnificent success in British and Irish Classics, as well as numerous Group One races.

Johnston set the highly impressive 300-acre Kingsley Park in Middleham up in 1987 and now assists his son, Charlie, after handing his training licence over to him at the start of 2023.

The 66-year-old has spent so much time in winners’ enclosures over the years, it is understandable that he is unable to remember all of his victories at the prestigious Betfred St Leger Festival.

But he will never forget seeing the great Double Trigger complete the remarkable feat of landing the Stayers’ Triple Crown – Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Doncaster Cup – in 1995.

The Ron-Huggins owned ‘Trigger’ went on to win the Doncaster Cup three times and has been immortalised with a statue beside the Grandstand, along with a bar at the Town Moor course.

Johnston said: “Double Trigger was an amazing horse, a pleasure to train. You have to enjoy horses like that when they come along. 

“We had great days with him in the Doncaster Cup and he also ran very well to finish third in the St Leger in 1994 – which some people seem to forget.

“I am absolutely very proud there is a statue of him at Doncaster, it makes me immensely proud every time I see it. Those were great days and we have such amazing memories of Double Trigger 

“One disappointment for me is that I never had a winner in the St Leger, it was a race I was very keen to win – not because it was in Yorkshire, but because it’s a Classic and I wanted to win as many of them as possible. 

“I remember Jural came last in 1995 and I think I’ve been trying to win it ever since. It would be amazing if Charlie could win it for the yard, that would make me very proud. 

“Last year we thought Lazy Griff would be one of best chances we have ever had, but unfortunately, he got injured and could not run. That was obviously a major disappointment for us.

“People have been suggesting Ancient Egypt could run in this year’s St Leger, but he won’t be stepping up in trip. I will be watching the race, but I may not be there as it clashes with commitments in Ireland.

“The St Leger is a great meeting. My first memories there would probably be Craft Express winning the Portland Handicap in 1989 when a large number of horses fell. 

“That was a first major race we won at the St Leger meeting. That was quite important to us at the time, as it was a very good race to win a big meeting.”

It is almost 40 years since Johnston made the decision to base himself in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales and he has never looked back.

The yard saddled over 100 winners in an astonishing 32 consecutive seasons, going from strength to strength with triumphs far and wide. 

Johnston will always be a proud Scot but is happy to fly the flag for Yorkshire – and feels he made a shrewd move relocating to the county nearly four decades ago.

He said: “I would not consider myself to be an adopted Yorkshireman – as I am not sure you can be – but I would always argue there are no better places in England.

“In my early days of training in Yorkshire I used to say the two racetracks that stood out in Britain above all others were Ascot and York. Now I would say York is the best.

“For me, we have York at the top of tree in Yorkshire, but then you have the likes of Doncaster, Catterick, Wetherby, Ripon etc, there are so many courses that are great in different ways. 

“The principle reason I moved from Lincolnshire to Yorkshire all those years ago was the number of tracks there are here. When I was looking to move, I looked at the map and saw the A1 motorway as the artery of racing in Britain.

“I looked at Epsom and being south of London, but I didn’t want my horses spending hours in traffic on the M25.

“There is a great passion for the sport in Yorkshire, with so much racing to go and watch, and it’s a lovely place to call home. 

The Johnston Racing motto is ‘Always Trying’, so it would be no surprise to see the yard toasting an elusive Betfred St Leger Stakes winner before long.