Shinta Nakajima, 16th Designer of St Leger Stakes Trophy Centrepiece
Published: 22nd September 2025
The St Leger Stakes Trophy
The permanent St Leger Stakes Trophy was designed by Chris Knight, Sarah Denny and Owen Waterhouse to celebrate the redevelopment of Doncaster Racecourse in 2007.
The overall concept behind the St. Leger Stakes Trophy was to produce a classic yet modern piece of silverware that had the ability to be re-designed or reinvigorated each year. Hand wrought and weighing in at approximately 10KG, the solid silver trophy is composed of a large rose water dish with a central rose bowl. The large dish is the permanent trophy of the St. Leger Stakes whilst the central, removable, rose bowl is the ‘gift’ to the winner of the race. Each year a new contemporary designer silversmith is commissioned to design a new centre, thus re-interpreting and invigorating the main trophy through the coming years. To date there have been 21 original and bespoke designs produced.
The 2025 Betfred St Leger Stakes Winners Centre
Designed by Shinta Nakajima
Award winning Japanese Silversmith Shinta Nakajima currently runs his practice from a studio at Yorkshire Artspace Society in Sheffield. Graduating from the MFA Jewellery and Metalwork course at Sheffield Hallam University in 2023, Shinta has received many accolades including 5 silver and 1 Gold award at the annual Goldsmiths Craft and Design Council Awards in London, a commission celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Sheffield Assay Office, pieces acquired for the Sheffield Museums Trust and Leeds Museum Trust collections and, earlier this year, being recognized as Artist of the Fair at Collect 2025, Somerset House London.
As someone familiar with the Kikuka-sho, a Japanese grade 1 flat horse race first run in 1938 and intentionally replicating the St Leger Stakes, Shinta states that he is deeply honoured to be selected for this prestigious opportunity of designing an annual Betfred winners centre for the perpetual St Leger Stakes Trophy. In doing so he becomes the 16th different silversmith to design and make a unique, original and one-off piece.
Central to Shinta’s design is a delicately fabricated silver Yorkshire Rose. Circling the rose to create a ‘whirl of movement’ are 8 horses based on traditional Japanese water-colour paintings of horses which are similar to the Doncaster Racecourse logo in their minimal use of lines creating a sense of strength and movement. The number 8 is considered the ultimate lucky number, even having special powers, in Japanese culture.
As with all previous St Leger Stakes Centres the dish will be engraved with the race title, including the sponsors BETFRED and the year. Prior to the Betfred St Leger Festival week it will replace the original dish in the center of the perpetual trophy and only be removed when the race has run and presented to the lucky winner.
Shinta has worked in partnership with Sheffield Silversmiths Chris Knight and Chris Perry to create this year’s trophy. And the piece has been hallmarked at Sheffield Assay Office.
For further information on the St Leger Trophy design and manufacture please contact Chris Knight: chris.knight@blueyonder.co.uk. 07931 524272.
The Sheffield Assay Office was established in 1773, under an Act of Parliament and today the company assays and hallmarks the precious metals - silver, gold, platinum and palladium. Sheffield Assay Office is one of only four UK assay offices who all work to uphold the Hallmarking Act of 1973 and continue to ensure consumer protection for customers purchasing precious metals.
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