Irish Oaks

Group 1 race
Irish Oaks

Location	Curragh Racecourse Co. Kildare, Ireland
Inaugurated	1895
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor	Darley
Website	Curragh
Race information
Distance	1m 4f (2,414 metres)
Track	Turf, right-handed
Qualification	Three-year-old fillies
Weight	9 st 0 lb
Purse	€425,000 (2011) 1st: €246,600

The Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.

It is Ireland's equivalent of the Epsom Oaks, a famous race in England.

History

The event was established in 1895, and it was originally contested over a mile. It was extended to its present length in 1915.

The field usually includes fillies which ran previously in the Epsom Oaks, and several have won both races. The first was Masaka in 1948, and the most recent was Snow Fairy in 2010.

The leading participants from the Irish Oaks sometimes go on to compete in the following month's Yorkshire Oaks. The last to achieve victory in both events was Blue Bunting in 2011.

Records

Leading jockey (5 wins):

• Johnny Murtagh – Ebadiyla (1997), Winona (1998), Petrushka (2000), Peeping Fawn (2007), Moonstone (2008)

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Leading trainer (6 wins):

• Sir Michael Stoute – Fair Salinia (1978), Colorspin (1986), Unite (1987), Melodist (1988, dead-heat), Pure Grain (1995), Petrushka (2000)

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Leading owner since 1960 (4 wins):

• Sheikh Mohammed – Unite (1987), Diminuendo (1988, dead-heat), Melodist (1988, dead-heat), Alydaress (1989)

Winners since 1970

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
1970	Santa Tina	Lester Piggott	Charlie Milbank	S. O'Flaherty	2:34.00
1971	Altesse Royale	Geoff Lewis	Noel Murless	Roger Hue-Williams	2:33.60
1972	Regal Exception	Maurice Philipperon	John Fellows	Robin Scully	2:37.90
1973	Dahlia	Bill Pyers	Maurice Zilber	Nelson Bunker Hunt	2:43.00
1974	Dibidale	Willie Carson	Barry Hills	Nick Robinson	2:36.20
1975	Juliette Marny	Lester Piggott	Jeremy Tree	James Morrison	2:33.10
1976	Lagunette	Philippe Paquet	François Boutin	Marius Berghgracht	2:33.10
1977	Olwyn	Kipper Lynch	Ron Boss	Souren Vanian	2:35.10
1978	Fair Salinia	Greville Starkey	Michael Stoute	Sven Hanson	2:35.20
1979	Godetia	Lester Piggott	Vincent O'Brien	Robert Sangster	2:33.60
1980	Shoot a Line	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	R. A. Budgett	2:32.55
1981	Blue Wind	Wally Swinburn	Dermot Weld	Diana Firestone	2:35.90
1982	Swiftfoot	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	2nd Baron Rotherwick	2:33.80
1983	Give Thanks	Declan Gillespie	Jim Bolger	Mrs Ogden White	2:32.30
1984	Princess Pati	Pat Shanahan	Con Collins	Meg Mullion	2:28.60
1985	Helen Street	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	Sobell / Weinstock	2:39.90
1986	Colorspin	Pat Eddery	Michael Stoute	Helena Springfield Ltd	2:40.90
1987	Unite	Walter Swinburn	Michael Stoute	Sheikh Mohammed	2:34.90
1988 (dh)	Diminuendo Melodist	Steve Cauthen Walter Swinburn	Henry Cecil Michael Stoute	Sheikh Mohammed Sheikh Mohammed	2:36.40
1989	Alydaress	Michael Kinane	Henry Cecil	Sheikh Mohammed	2:31.20
1990	Knight's Baroness	Richard Quinn	Paul Cole	Prince Fahd bin Salman	2:31.70
1991	Possessive Dancer	Steve Cauthen	Alex Scott	Ahmed Al Maktoum	2:31.10
1992	User Friendly	George Duffield	Clive Brittain	Bill Gredley	2:33.70
1993	Wemyss Bight	Pat Eddery	André Fabre	Khalid Abdullah	2:35.80
1994	Bolas	Pat Eddery	Barry Hills	Khalid Abdullah	2:37.60
1995	Pure Grain	John Reid	Michael Stoute	Robert Barnett	2:33.60
1996	Dance Design	Michael Kinane	Dermot Weld	Moyglare Stud Farm	2:29.70
1997	Ebadiyla	Johnny Murtagh	John Oxx	HH Aga Khan IV	2:33.70
1998	Winona	Johnny Murtagh	John Oxx	Lady Clague	2:39.80
1999	Ramruma	Kieren Fallon	Henry Cecil	Prince Fahd bin Salman	2:33.00
2000	Petrushka	Johnny Murtagh	Sir Michael Stoute	Highclere Racing Ltd	2:31.20
2001	Lailani	Frankie Dettori	Ed Dunlop	Maktoum Al Maktoum	2:30.50
2002	Margarula	Kevin Manning	Jim Bolger	Jackie Bolger	2:37.40
2003	Vintage Tipple	Frankie Dettori	Paddy Mullins	Pat O'Donovan	2:28.30
2004	Ouija Board	Kieren Fallon	Ed Dunlop	19th Earl of Derby	2:28.20
2005	Shawanda	Christophe Soumillon	Alain de Royer-Dupré	HH Aga Khan IV	2:27.10
2006	Alexandrova	Kieren Fallon	Aidan O'Brien	Magnier / Tabor / Smith	2:29.60
2007	Peeping Fawn	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	Tabor / Magnier	2:39.12
2008	Moonstone	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	Magnier / Tabor / Smith	2:34.37
2009	Sariska	Jamie Spencer	Michael Bell	Lady Bamford	2:45.84
2010	Snow Fairy	Ryan Moore	Ed Dunlop	Anamoine Ltd	2:34.87
2011	Blue Bunting	Frankie Dettori	Mahmood Al Zarooni	Godolphin	2:42.97

^a Sorbus finished first in 1978, but she was relegated to second place following a stewards' inquiry.

Earlier winners

• 1895: Sapling
• 1896: Kosmos
• 1897: Dabchick
• 1898: Sabine Queen
• 1899: Irish Ivy
• 1900: May Race
• 1901: Royal Mantle
• 1902: Marievale
• 1903: Mary Lester
• 1904: Topstone
• 1905: Blakestown
• 1906: Juliet
• 1907: Reina
• 1908: Queen of Peace
• 1909: Fredith
• 1910: Blair Royal
• 1911: Tullynacree
• 1912: Shining Way
• 1913: Athgreany
• 1914: May Edgar
• 1915: Latharna
• 1916: Captive Princess
• 1917: Golden Maid
• 1918: Judea
• 1919: Snow Maiden

• 1920: Place Royale
• 1921: The Kiwi
• 1922: Miss Hazelwood
• 1923: Becka
• 1924: Amethystine
• 1925: Ixia
• 1926: Resplendent
• 1927: Cinq a Sept
• 1928: Haintonette
• 1929: Soloptic
• 1930: Theresina
• 1931: Nitsichin
• 1932: Santaria
• 1933: Salar
• 1934: Foxcroft
• 1935: Smokeless
• 1936: Silversol
• 1937: Sol Speranza
• 1938: Conversation Piece
• 1939: Superbe
• 1940: Queen of Shiraz
• 1941: Uvira
• 1942: Majideh
• 1943: Suntop
• 1944: Avoca

• 1945: Admirable
• 1946: Linaria
• 1947: Desert Drive
• 1948: Masaka
• 1949: Circus Lady
• 1950: Corejada
• 1951: Djebellica
• 1952: Five Spots
• 1953: Noory
• 1954: Pantomime Queen
• 1955: Agar's Plough
• 1956: Garden State
• 1957: Silken Glider
• 1958: Amante
• 1959: Discorea
• 1960: Lynchris
• 1961: Ambergris
• 1962: French Cream
• 1963: Hibernia
• 1964: Ancasta
• 1965: Aurabella
• 1966: Merry Mate
• 1967: Pampalina
• 1968: Celina
• 1969: Gaia

See also

• List of Irish flat horse races

References

• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

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• galopp-sieger.de – Irish Oaks.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Irish Oaks (2011).
• irishracinggreats.com – Irish Oaks (Group 1).
• pedigreequery.com – Irish Oaks – Curragh.
• tbheritage.com – Irish Oaks Stakes.