Common was a “big, lathy, sinewy” [1] brown horse, standing just over 16 hands high[2] bred at Crichel in Dorset by Henry Sturt, 1st Baron Alington[3] who owned him during his racing career in partnership with Sir Frederick Johnstone.

Common's dam Thistle, who had been a successful racehorse,[8] went on to produce the New Stakes winner Goldfinch and the filly Throstle who won the St Leger in 1894.

[10] In a gallop viewed by his owners together with the Prince of Wales he easily defeated his stable companions Gone Coon and Orion, leading Porter to name the colt as a likely Classic winner.

Gouverneur, whose rider's orange jacket made him one of the more visible runners, led the field in the early running, with Common first being sighted in fifth place just after half way.

The rain had been so heavy that the sodden jockeys returned from the race up to three pounds heavier,[15] and Barrett's face was described as having "enough mud on it to plant potatoes in.

[17] His main challenger appeared to be the filly Mimi who was bidding to complete her own version of the Triple Crown, having won both the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks.

In the closing stages Common began to pull ahead and after a "splendid race" he crossed the line a length in front of Reverend, with St Simon of the Rock a neck away in third.

"[18] Shortly after his win in the St Leger, Common's owners sold the colt for £15,000[20] to John Blundell Maple, the Conservative M.P.

Blundell Maple attempted to arrange a match race between Common and the Doncaster Cup winner Queen's Birthday over two miles, but his challenge was not accepted.