All but one of the other horses entered were withdrawn, and when Launcelot's only remaining opponent failed to appear, Lord Westminster received a forfeit of 50 sovereigns.

[4] On 16 September the colt had his first competitive race in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster's St Leger meeting in which he was ridden by his trainer's brother Bill Scott and started 5/4 favourite.

He started poorly, but took the lead after a furlong and held off the late challenge of Lord Kelburne's unnamed chestnut colt to win by a neck.

Ridden by Bill Scott he was made 9/4 favourite in a field of seventeen runners, with Assassin and Mr Etwall's unnamed Melody colt joint second-favourites on 7/2.

Launcelot was among the leaders from the start and got the better of a sustained struggle with the Melody colt in the straight,[9] but was overtaken in the final furlong by the 50/1 outsider Little Wonder and finished second by a length.

[12] At York in August Lord Westminster was able to claim another prize without having to run his colt when Launcelot's opponents were withdrawn from a two-miile sweepstakes.

[14] A day after his win in the St Leger, Launcelot was scheduled to run in the Foal Stakes over one and a half miles against Mr Bowes' colt Black Beck.