Royal Ascot is in Modern Era.
Royal Ascot. Its History and Associations. By George James Cawthorne and Richard S Herod. 1902.
The reign of George III. saw the institution of the " Classic " races. The Doncaster St. Leger was established by Colonel St. Leger [aged 43], who lived near Doncaster. In 1776 he proposed a sweepstakes of 25 guineas each for 3-year-old colts and fillies over a two-mile course, which was won from six competitors by the Marquis of Rockingham's [aged 46] filly, Allabuculia.
In 1778 a dinner was being held at the Red Lion Inn, Doncaster, on the entry day of the races, and the Marquis of Rockingham then proposed that the sweepstakes suggested by Colonel St. Leger two years previously should be run for annually, and bear the name of the founder. In this year it was won again by a filly, called Hollandaise, belonging to Sir Thomas Gascoigne [aged 30].