Encke (24 February 2009 – 14 October 2014) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse, best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse on 15 September 2012 when he defeated the Triple Crown bid of Camelot.
[3] Encke was the second foal of his dam, Shawanda, a top class racemare who won the Irish Oaks and the Prix Vermeille for her owner the Aga Khan in 2005.
[9] On his three-year-old debut, Encke carried 126 pounds in a handicap race over ten furlongs at Sandown Park in July.
Ridden for the first time by Mickael Barzalona he took the lead two furlongs from the finish and held on to win by half a length and a neck from Ginger Jack and Tropical Beat.
The Irish colt Camelot started the 2/5 favourite to become the first British Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky after winning the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby.
[14] The colt had previously passed drug tests before and after the St Leger and a BHA spokesman said that "we can be certain he was not under the benefits of substances" at the time of his classic victory.
Ridden by William Buick, he took the lead in the straight but was overtaken and beaten one and a quarter lengths into second place by the favourite Pether's Moon.