Irish St. Leger

Irish St Leger
Group 1 race
LocationCurragh Racecourse
County Kildare, Ireland
Inaugurated1915
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
SponsorComer Group
WebsiteCurragh
Race information
Distance1m 6f (2,816 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationThree-years-old and up
Weight9 st 1 lb (3yo);
9 st 9 lb (4yo+)
Allowances
3 lb for fillies and mares
Purse€460,000 (2021)
1st: €285,000
Irish St Leger
2023
Yellow and black stripes, halved sleeves Black, white slvs, red cap, black star Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap
Eldar Eldarov Kyprios Dawn Rising
Previous years
2022
Black, white slvs, red cap, black star White, red braces, black cap Black, white sleeves, red and white striped cap
Kyprios Hamish Search For A Song
2021
Yellow, black striped sleeves and cap Dark blue, white armlet, white cap White, red star, hooped sleeves, red star on cap
Sonnyboyliston Twilight Payment Baron Samedi
2020-2011
2020
Black, white slvs, red cap, black star Yellow, large black spots, black spots on cap Dark blue, white armlet, white cap
Search For A Song Fujaira Prince Twilight Payment
2019
Black, white slvs, red cap, black star Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap Royal blue and light green hoops, royal blue sleeves, light green and royal blue hooped cap
Search For A Song Kew Gardens Southern France
2018
Dark blue Dark blue, white armlet, white cap Green, pink sash and cap, white sleeves
Flag Of Honour Latrobe Weekender
2017
Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Orange, royal blue stars, striped sleeves, orange cap Dark blue, beige epaulettes
Order Of St George Torcedor Mount Moriah
2016
Purple, orange seams, orange star on cap Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Dark blue, red epaulettes, red armlet, red cap
Wicklow Brave Order Of St George Trip To Paris
2015
Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Yellow, red sash, red cap, yellow star Purple, orange seams, orange star on cap
Order Of St George Agent Murphy Wicklow Brave
2014
Turquoise, dark blue cap Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap Royal blue
Brown Panther Leading Light Encke
2013
Black and white hoops, royal blue cap, white star Blue YELLOW and RED CHEVRONS, hooped cap
Voleuse De Coeurs Ahzeemah Saddler's Rock
2012
Royal blue and red chevrons, red and white striped sleeves, red and white quartered cap Green, red epaulettes, red cap Turquoise, dark blue cap
Royal Diamond Massiyn Brown Panther
2011
Pink, white sleeves Red, white sleeves, royal blue and white striped cap Light blue and red diamonds, light blue sleeves, red cap, light blue diamond
Duncan Jukebox Jury Red Cadeaux
2010-2001
2010
Mauve and pink check, white sleeves, pink cap Black, white slvs, red cap, black star Dark blue
Sans Frontieres Profound Beauty Flying Cross
2009
Green, red epaulettes, green cap Not available Royal blue
Alandi Clowance Schiaparelli
2008
PURPLE, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap PURPLE, white seams, striped sleeves, white cap YELLOW, emerald green sleeves, white cap, yellow star
Septimus New Zealand Red Moloney
2007
Dark blue Pink WHITE, emerald green star, diabolo on sleeves, orange cap
Yeats Scorpion Mores Wells
2006
GREEN, red epaulettes, green cap Dark blue Red, Black spots, Red sleeves, Black cap
Kastoria Yeats The Whistling Teal
2005
Beige, dark blue triple diamond, dark blue cap Red, Black spots, Red sleeves, Black cap Blue, yellow stars, halved sleeves, yellow cap
Collier Hill The Whistling Teal Vinnie Roe
2004
Blue, yellow stars, halved sleeves, yellow cap Dark blue Royal blue, yellow chevron, yellow cap, royal blue spots
Vinnie Roe Brian Boru First Charter
2003
Blue, yellow stars, halved sleeves, yellow cap Pale Blue, White and Yellow check cap Dark blue
Vinnie Roe Gamut Powerscourt
2002
Blue, yellow stars, halved sleeves, yellow cap Maroon, White spots, White cap, Maroon spots Dark blue
Vinnie Roe Pugin Ballingarry
2001
Blue, yellow stars, halved sleeves, yellow cap Grey, red cross of lorraine, hooped sleeves, quartered cap Royal blue
Vinnie Roe Millenary Marienbard
2000-1991
2000
Yellow, Dark Blue disc Light blue, light blue and white check sleeves, white cap Royal blue
Arctic Owl Yavana's Pace Mutafaweq
1999
Royal blue Light blue, light blue and white check sleeves, white cap Red and blue (quartered), white sleeves, black cap
Kayf Tara Yavana's Pace Silver Patriarch
1998
Royal blue Red and blue (quartered), white sleeves, black cap Light blue, dark blue armlets, dark blue cap
Kayf Tara Silver Patriarch Delilah
1997
White, blue sash, red and blue quartered cap Purple, light blue chevron, light blue cap Yellow, Black hoop and armlets, Red cap
Oscar Schindler Persian Punch Whitewater Affair
1996
White, blue sash, red and blue quartered cap Maroon, White spots, White cap, Maroon spots Red, white sash, royal blue cap
Oscar Schindler Key Change Sacrament
1995
Yellow, royal blue cross of lorraine, armlets and cap Royal blue White, blue sash, red and blue quartered cap
Strategic Choice Moonax Oscar Schindler
1994
YELLOW, royal blue epaulettes, yellow cap, royal blue star emerald Green, Red epaulettes Beige, royal blue sleeves and cap
Vintage Crop Rayseka Kithanga
1993
YELLOW, royal blue epaulettes, yellow cap, royal blue star Black, yellow cap Maroon, white sleeves, maroon cap, white star
Vintage Crop Assessor Foresee
1992
Yellow, black epaulets Yellow, royal blue cross of lorraine, armlets and cap Dark green, white spots, dark blue sleeves, white spots, white cap, dark blue star
Mashaallah Snurge Drum Taps
1991
White, emerald green hoop, white cap Maroon, white sleeves, maroon cap, white star emerald Green, Red epaulettes
Turgeon Patricia Zafadola
1990-1988
1990
Dark green Light Blue, Chocolate sleeves, hooped cap Royal blue, white chevron, light blue cap
Ibn Bey Mr Pintips Braashee
1989
Black, yellow spots on cap Light blue, dark blue diamond and diamond on cap Maroon, white sleeves, maroon cap, white star
Petite Ile Tyrone Bridge Lazaz
1988
Dark blue, light blue cross sashes, striped sleeves, white cap Yellow, black epaulets Orange, white star on body and cap
Dark Lomond Daarkom Eurobird
 

The Irish St Leger is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,816 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

It is Ireland's equivalent of the St Leger Stakes, a famous race in England (although unlike the English race, it is open to both horses above age three and geldings).

History

The event was established in 1915, and it was originally restricted to three-year-olds. The first horse to win both the English and Irish St Legers was Royal Lancer in 1922.[citation needed]

The first Irish St. Leger winner to complete a Triple Crown (having previously won the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Irish Derby) was Museum in 1935. The only subsequent horse to win all three races was Windsor Slipper in 1942.[citation needed]

The Irish St Leger became an open-age race in 1983, and there have been several repeat winners since then. The most successful has been Vinnie Roe, with four consecutive victories from 2001 to 2004.[citation needed]

The leading horses from the Irish St Leger sometimes go on to compete in the Melbourne Cup. The race has been sponsored by the Comer Group since 2014. It takes place on the second day of Irish Champions Weekend.[citation needed]

Records

Most successful horse (4 wins):

Leading jockey (7 wins):

  • Morny Wing – Kirk-Alloway (1920), O'Dempsey (1923), Sol de Terre (1930), Ochiltree (1938), Windsor Slipper (1942), Spam (1945), Esprit de France (1947)

Leading trainer (9 wins):

  • Vincent O'Brien – Barclay (1959), White Gloves (1966), Reindeer (1969), Caucasus (1975), Meneval (1976), Transworld (1977), Gonzales (1980), Leading Counsel (1985), Dark Lomond (1988)
  • Dermot Weld - Vintage Crop (1993, 1994), Vinnie Roe (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004), Voleuse de Coeurs (2013), Search for A Song (2019, 2020)

Leading owner since 1960 (6 wins) (includes part ownership):

  • Susan Magnier - Yeats (2007), Septimus (2008), Order of St George (2015, 2017), Flag of Honour (2018), Kyprios (2022)

Winners since 1972

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time
1972 Pidget 3 T. P. Burns Kevin Prendergast Norman Frank Butler 3:06.60
1973 Conor Pass 3 Paul Jarman Kevin Prendergast Rita Moore 3:14.20
1974 Mistigri 3 Christy Roche Paddy Prendergast Rory More O'Ferrall 3:10.00
1975 Caucasus 3 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien Jane Engelhard 3:02.40
1976 Meneval 3 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien Mrs George Getty II 3:02.10
1977 Transworld 3 Tommy Murphy Vincent O'Brien Simon Fraser 3:30.60
1978 M-Lolshan 3 Brian Taylor Ryan Price Essa Alkhalifa 3:04.10
1979 Niniski 3 Willie Carson Dick Hern Lady Beaverbrook 3:11.70
1980 Gonzales 3 Raymond Carroll Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 3:23.60
1981 Protection Racket 3 Brian Taylor Jeremy Hindley Serge Fradkoff 3:06.00
1982 Touching Wood 3 Paul Cook Harry Thomson Jones Maktoum Al Maktoum 3:10.20
1983 Mountain Lodge 4 Declan Gillespie John Dunlop 3rd Earl of Halifax 3:15.90
1984 Opale 4 Darrel McHargue Alec Stewart Snailwell Stud 3:08.80
1985 Leading Counsel 3 Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 3:15.80
1986 Authaal 3 Christy Roche David O'Brien Sheikh Mohammed 3:04.80
1987 Eurobird 3 Cash Asmussen John Oxx Gerald Jennings 3:18.70
1988 Dark Lomond 3 Declan Gillespie Vincent O'Brien Stavros Niarchos 3:15.00
1989 Petite Ile 3 Ron Quinton John Oxx Jean-François Malle 3:05.00
1990 Ibn Bey 6 Richard Quinn Paul Cole Fahd Salman 3:00.60
1991 Turgeon 5 Tony Cruz Jonathan Pease George Strawbridge 3:05.30
1992 Mashaallah 4 Steve Cauthen John Gosden Ahmed Al Maktoum 3:02.10
1993 Vintage Crop 6 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld Michael Smurfit 3:06.70
1994 Vintage Crop 7 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld Michael Smurfit 3:07.30
1995 Strategic Choice 4 Richard Quinn Paul Cole Martyn Arbib 3:00.90
1996 Oscar Schindler 4 Stephen Craine Kevin Prendergast Oliver Lehane 2:59.10
1997 Oscar Schindler 5 Stephen Craine Kevin Prendergast Oliver Lehane 3:06.40
1998 Kayf Tara 4 John Reid Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 3:05.70
1999 Kayf Tara 5 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 3:12.50
2000 Arctic Owl 6 David Harrison James Fanshawe The Owl Society 3:02.20
2001 Vinnie Roe 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld Seamus Sheridan 2:58.40
2002 Vinnie Roe 4 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld Seamus Sheridan 2:59.00
2003 Vinnie Roe 5 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld Seamus Sheridan 2:58.90
2004 Vinnie Roe 6 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld Seamus Sheridan 3:03.90
2005 Collier Hill 7 Dean McKeown Alan Swinbank Hall / Young 3:01.20
2006 Kastoria 5 Michael Kinane John Oxx HH Aga Khan IV 3:01.00
2007 Yeats 6 Kieren Fallon Aidan O'Brien Magnier / Nagle 3:03.40
2008 Septimus 5 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien Smith / Magnier / Tabor 3:11.97
2009 Alandi 4 Michael Kinane John Oxx HH Aga Khan IV 3:14.82
2010 Sans Frontieres 4 Olivier Peslier Jeremy Noseda Sir Robert Ogden 3:10.36
2011
(dh) 		Duncan
Jukebox Jury 		6
5 		Eddie Ahern
Johnny Murtagh 		John Gosden
Mark Johnston 		Normandie Stud Ltd
Alan Spence 		3:08.01
2012 Royal Diamond 6 Niall McCullagh Tommy Carmody Andrew Tinkler 3:08.47
2013 Voleuse de Coeurs 4 Chris Hayes Dermot Weld Lady O'Reilly 3:00.08
2014 Brown Panther 6 Richard Kingscote Tom Dascombe Black & Owen Promotions 2:57.15
2015 Order of St George 3 Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien Smith / Magnier / Tabor 3:03.19
2016 Wicklow Brave 7 Frankie Dettori Willie Mullins Wicklow Bloodstock 3:05.95
2017 Order of St George 5 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Smith / Magnier / Tabor 3:07.82
2018 Flag of Honour 3 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Smith / Magnier / Tabor 3:05.72
2019 Search For A Song 3 Chris Hayes Dermot Weld Moyglare Stud Farm 3:03.24
2020 Search For A Song 4 Oisin Orr Dermot Weld Moyglare Stud Farm 3:06.50
2021 Sonnyboyliston 4 Ben Coen Johnny Murtagh Kildare Racing Club 3:02.05
2022 Kyprios 4 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Moyglare Stud / Smith / Magnier / Tabor 3:04.67
2023 Eldar Eldarov 4 David Egan Roger Varian KHK Racing 3:01.72

Earlier winners

  • 1915: La Paloma
  • 1916: Captive Princess
  • 1917: Double Scotch
  • 1918: Dionysos
  • 1919: Cheap Popularity
  • 1920: Kirk-Alloway
  • 1921: Kircubbin
  • 1922: Royal Lancer
  • 1923: O'Dempsey
  • 1924: Zodiac
  • 1925: Spelthorne
  • 1926: Sunny View
  • 1927: Ballyvoy
  • 1928: Law Suit
  • 1929: Trigo
  • 1930: Sol de Terre
  • 1931: Beaudelaire
  • 1932: Hill Song
  • 1933: Harinero
  • 1934: Primero
  • 1935: Museum
  • 1936: Battle Song
  • 1937: Owenstown
  • 1938: Ochiltree
  • 1939: Skoiter
  • 1940: Harvest Feast
  • 1941: Etoile de Lyons
  • 1942: Windsor Slipper
  • 1943: Solferino
  • 1944: Water Street
  • 1945: Spam
  • 1946: Cassock
  • 1947: Esprit de France
  • 1948: Beau Sabreur
  • 1949: Brown Rover
  • 1950: Morning Madam
  • 1951: Do Well
  • 1952: Judicate
  • 1953: Sea Charger
  • 1954: Zarathustra
  • 1955: Diamond Slipper
  • 1956: Magnetic North
  • 1957: Ommeyad
  • 1958: Royal Highway
  • 1959: Barclay
  • 1960: Lynchris
  • 1961: Vimadee
  • 1962: Arctic Vale
  • 1963: Christmas Island
  • 1964: Biscayne
  • 1965: Craighouse
  • 1966: White Gloves
  • 1967: Dan Kano
  • 1968: Giolla Mear
  • 1969: Reindeer
  • 1970: Allangrange
  • 1971: Parnell

See also

References