Irish Derby

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File:Shirley Heights.jpg

Shirley Heights, Derby winner by Bob Demuyser (1920-2003)

The Irish Derby (Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and 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 late June or early July.

It is Ireland's equivalent of the Derby Stakes, and it is usually held four weeks after the English race.

History

The earliest version of the Irish Derby was an event called the O'Darby Stakes. This was established in 1817, but it was discontinued after 1824. A subsequent race titled the Curragh Derby was inaugurated in 1848, but this was again short-lived.Template:Fact

The modern Irish Derby was created by the 3rd Earl of Howth, the 3rd Marquess of Drogheda and the 3rd Earl of Charlemont. It was first run in 1866, and it was initially contested over 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 3 yards. It was extended by 9 yards in 1869, and cut to its present distance in 1872. The first Epsom Derby winner to achieve victory in the Irish version was Orby, trained in Ireland by Fred McCabe, in 1907.Template:Fact

The Irish Derby became a major international race in 1962, when its prize money was substantially increased. Joe McGrath, a founder of the Irish Hospitals' Sweepstake, combined the race with the sweepstake, and it became known as the Irish Sweeps Derby. The event began to regularly attract the winners of the Epsom Derby, and Santa Claus became the second horse to win both races in 1964.Template:Fact

The Irish Derby was sponsored by Budweiser from 1986 to 2007, and it has been backed by Dubai Duty Free since 2008. It is currently staged on the third day of the Curragh's three-day Irish Derby Festival meeting.Template:Fact

A total of twenty horses have now completed the English-Irish Derby double, and the most recent was Lambourn in 2025.

Records

Leading jockey (6 wins):

• Morny Wing – Ballyheron (1921), Waygood (1923), Rock Star (1930), Rosewell (1938), Windsor Slipper (1942), Bright News (1946)

Leading trainer (17 wins):

• Aidan O'Brien – Desert King (1997), Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Dylan Thomas (2006), Soldier of Fortune (2007), Frozen Fire (2008), Fame and Glory (2009), Cape Blanco (2010), Treasure Beach (2011), Camelot (2012), Australia (2014), Capri (2017), Sovereign (2019), Santiago (2020),Auguste Rodin (2023), Los Angeles (2024), Lambourn (2025)

Leading owner (17 wins): (includes part ownership)

• Michael Tabor – Desert King (1997), Montjeu (1999), Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Dylan Thomas (2006), Soldier of Fortune (2007), Frozen Fire (2008), Fame and Glory (2009), Cape Blanco (2010), Treasure Beach (2011), Australia (2014), Capri (2017), Sovereign (2019), Santiago (2020),Auguste Rodin (2023), Los Angeles (2024), Lambourn (2025)

A Unique Racing Record - Only Owner to complete the Derby and Grand National Double

• William Brophy, Herbertstown House, Two-Mile-House, Naas, County Kildare. Farmer, Breeder and Owner

In 1880 William Brophy completed a unique double by owning the winner of both the Irish Derby with King of the Bees and the Irish Grand National with Controller. Also uniquely both winners were out of the same Dam Winged Bee.

Winners since 1946

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
1946	Bright News	Morny Wing	Darby Rogers	James McVey junior
1947	Sayajirao	Edgar Britt	Sam Armstrong	HH Maharaja of Baroda
1948	Nathoo	Rae Johnstone	Frank Butters	Aga Khan III
1949	Hindostan	Rae Johnstone	Frank Butters	Aga Khan III
1950	Dark Warrior	Jack Thompson	Paddy Prendergast	Mr Francis More O'Ferrall
1951	Fraise du Bois II	Charlie Smirke	Harry Wragg	HH Begum Aga Khan
1952	Thirteen Of Diamonds	Jimmy Mullane	Paddy Prendergast	A L Hawkins
1953	Chamier[a]	Bill Rickaby	Vincent O'Brien	Mrs F L Vickerson
1954	Zarathustra	Paddy Powell Jnr	Michael Hurley	Mr Terrence J S Gray
1955	Panaslipper	Jimmy Eddery	Seamus McGrath	Joseph McGrath
1956	Talgo	Manny Mercer	Harry Wragg	Gerald A Oldham
1957	Ballymoss	T. P. Burns	Vincent O'Brien	John McShain
1958	Sindon	Liam Ward	Michael Dawson	Anne B Biddle
1959	Fidalgo	Joe Mercer	Harry Wragg	Gerald A Oldham	2:33.5
1960	Chamour	Garnie Bougoure	Vincent O'Brien	F Walter Burmann	2:37.5
1961	Your Highness	Bert Holmes	Humphrey Cottrill	Mrs Gladys Stanhope Joel	2:33.5
1962	Tambourine	Roger Poincelet	Etienne Pollet	Mrs Howell Jackson	2:28.80
1963	Ragusa	Garnie Bougoure	Paddy Prendergast	Jim Mullion	2:45.60
1964	Santa Claus	Willie Burke	Mick Rogers	John Ismay	2:35.60
1965	Meadow Court	Lester Piggott	Paddy Prendergast	Bell / McMahon / Crosby	2:46.80
1966	Sodium	Frankie Durr	George Todd	Radha Sigtia	2:31.50
1967	Ribocco	Lester Piggott	Fulke Johnson Houghton	Charles Engelhard	2:32.40
1968	Ribero	Lester Piggott	Fulke Johnson Houghton	Charles Engelhard	2:33.90
1969	Prince Regent	Geoff Lewis	Etienne Pollet	Countess de la Valdène	2:36.10
1970	Nijinsky	Liam Ward	Vincent O'Brien	Charles Engelhard	2:36.80
1971	Irish Ball	Alfred Gibert	Philippe Lallié	Emile Littler	2:33.80
1972	Steel Pulse	Bill Williamson	Scobie Breasley	Ravi Tikkoo	2:39.80
1973	Weavers' Hall	George McGrath	Seamus McGrath	Seamus McGrath	2:39.00
1974	English Prince	Yves Saint-Martin	Peter Walwyn	Vera Hue-Williams	2:33.40
1975	Grundy	Pat Eddery	Peter Walwyn	Carlo Vittadini	2:31.10
1976	Malacate	Philippe Paquet	François Boutin	María Félix Berger	2:31.20
1977	The Minstrel	Lester Piggott	Vincent O'Brien	Robert Sangster	2:32.00
1978	Shirley Heights	Greville Starkey	John Dunlop	2nd Earl of Halifax	2:32.30
1979	Troy	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	Sobell / Weinstock	2:30.60
1980	Tyrnavos	Tony Murray	Bruce Hobbs	George Cambanis	2:43.80
1981	Shergar	Lester Piggott	Michael Stoute	HH Aga Khan IV	2:32.70
1982	Assert	Christy Roche	David O'Brien	Robert Sangster	2:33.20
1983	Shareef Dancer	Walter Swinburn	Michael Stoute	Maktoum Al Maktoum	2:29.40
1984	El Gran Senor	Pat Eddery	Vincent O'Brien	Robert Sangster	2:31.50
1985	Law Society	Pat Eddery	Vincent O'Brien	Stavros Niarchos	2:29.90
1986	Shahrastani	Walter Swinburn	Michael Stoute	HH Aga Khan IV	2:32.10
1987	Sir Harry Lewis	John Reid	Barry Hills	Howard Kaskel	2:40.20
1988	Kahyasi	Ray Cochrane	Luca Cumani	HH Aga Khan IV	2:32.50
1989	Old Vic	Steve Cauthen	Henry Cecil	Sheikh Mohammed	2:29.90
1990	Salsabil	Willie Carson	John Dunlop	Hamdan Al Maktoum	2:33.00
1991	Generous	Alan Munro	Paul Cole	Prince Fahd bin Salman	2:33.30
1992	St Jovite	Christy Roche	Jim Bolger	Virginia Kraft Payson	2:25.60
1993	Commander in Chief	Pat Eddery	Henry Cecil	Khalid Abdullah	2:31.20
1994	Balanchine	Frankie Dettori	Hilal Ibrahim	Godolphin	2:32.70
1995	Winged Love	Olivier Peslier	André Fabre	Sheikh Mohammed	2:30.10
1996	Zagreb	Pat Shanahan	Dermot Weld	Allen Paulson	2:30.60
1997	Desert King	Christy Roche	Aidan O'Brien	Michael Tabor	2:32.50
1998	Dream Well	Cash Asmussen	Pascal Bary	Niarchos Family	2:44.30
1999	Montjeu	Cash Asmussen	John Hammond	Michael Tabor	2:30.10
2000	Sinndar	Johnny Murtagh	John Oxx	HH Aga Khan IV	2:33.90
2001	Galileo	Michael Kinane	Aidan O'Brien	Magnier / Tabor	2:27.10
2002	High Chaparral	Michael Kinane	Aidan O'Brien	Tabor / Magnier	2:32.20
2003	Alamshar	Johnny Murtagh	John Oxx	Aga Khan IV	2:28.20
2004	Grey Swallow	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	Rochelle Quinn	2:28.70
2005	Hurricane Run	Kieren Fallon	André Fabre	Gestut Ammerland	2:29.40
2006	Dylan Thomas	Kieren Fallon	Aidan O'Brien	Magnier / Tabor	2:29.70
2007	Soldier of Fortune	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	Magnier / Tabor / Smith	2:36.02
2008	Frozen Fire	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	Tabor / Smith / Magnier	2:31.96
2009	Fame and Glory	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	Smith / Magnier / Tabor	2:30.87
2010	Cape Blanco	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	Smith / Magnier / Tabor	2:28.68
2011	Treasure Beach	Colm O'Donoghue	Aidan O'Brien	Smith / Magnier / Tabor	2:33.26
2012	Camelot	Joseph O'Brien	Aidan O'Brien	Derrick Smith	2:43.96
2013	Trading Leather	Kevin Manning	Jim Bolger	Mrs J S Bolger	2:27.17
2014	Australia	Joseph O'Brien	Aidan O'Brien	Smith / Magnier / Tabor	2:33.19
2015	Jack Hobbs	William Buick	John Gosden	Godolphin & Partners	2:34:93
2016	Harzand	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	Aga Khan IV	2:38:05
2017	Capri	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	Smith / Magnier / Tabor	2:35.45
2018	Latrobe	Donnacha O'Brien	Joseph O'Brien	Lloyd Williams	2:32.62
2019	Sovereign	Padraig Beggy	Aidan O'Brien	Magnier / Tabor / Smith	2:31.50
2020	Santiago	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	Tabor / Smith / Magnier	2:38.17
2021	Hurricane Lane	William Buick	Charlie Appleby	Godolphin	2:33.85
2022	Westover	Colin Keane	Ralph Beckett	Juddmonte	2:34.80
2023	Auguste Rodin	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	Tabor / Smith / Magnier / Westerberg	2:33.24
2024	Los Angeles	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	Westerberg/Tabor / Smith / Magnier	2:28.15
2025	Lambourn	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	Magnier /Tabor / Smith	2:29.18

^a Premonition finished first in 1953 but was disqualified.

Earlier winners

• 1866: Selim
• 1867: Golden Plover
• 1868: Madeira
• 1869: The Scout
• 1870: Billy Pitt
• 1871: Maid of Athens
• 1872: Trickstress
• 1873: Kyrle Daly
• 1874: Ben Battle
• 1875: Innishowen
• 1876: Umpire
• 1877: Redskin
• 1878: Madame du Barry
• 1879: Soulouque
• 1880: King of the Bees
• 1881: Master Ned
• 1882: Sortie
• 1883: Sylph
• 1884: Theologian
• 1885: St Kevin
• 1886: Theodemir
• 1887: Pet Fox
• 1888: Theodolite
• 1889: Tragedy
• 1890: Kentish Fire
• 1891: Narraghmore
• 1892: Roy Neil
• 1893: Bowline
• 1894: Blairfinde
• 1895: Portmarnock
• 1896: Gulsalberk
• 1897: Wales
• 1898: Noble Howard
• 1899: Oppressor
• 1900: Gallinaria
• 1901: Carrigavalla
• 1902: St Brendan
• 1903: Lord Rossmore
• 1904: Royal Arch
• 1905: Flax Park
• 1906: Killeagh
• 1907: Orby
• 1908: Wild Bouquet
• 1909: Bachelor's Double
• 1910: Aviator
• 1911: Shanballymore
• 1912: Civility
• 1913: Bachelor's Wedding
• 1914: Land of Song
• 1915: Ballaghtobin
• 1916: Furore
• 1917: First Flier
• 1918: King John
• 1919: Loch Lomond
• 1920: He Goes
• 1921: Ballyheron
• 1922: Spike Island
• 1923: Waygood
• 1924: Haine / Zodiac ¹
• 1925: Zionist
• 1926: Embargo
• 1927: Knight of the Grail
• 1928: Baytown
• 1929: Kopi
• 1930: Rock Star
• 1931: Sea Serpent
• 1932: Dastur
• 1933: Harinero
• 1934: Patriot King / PrimeroTemplate:Efn
• 1935: Museum
• 1936: Raeburn
• 1937: Phideas
• 1938: Rosewell
• 1939: Mondragon
• 1940: Turkhan
• 1941: Sol Oriens
• 1942: Windsor Slipper
• 1943: The Phoenix
• 1944: Slide On
• 1945: Piccadilly

See also

• Horse racing in Ireland
• Irish Triple Crown race winners
• List of Irish flat horse races

References

• Paris-Turf:
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• Racing Post:
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External links

• Race Recordings (1966, 1970, 1977-2005) youtube.com
• galopp-sieger.de – Irish Derby Stakes.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Irish Derby (2018).
• irishracinggreats.com – Irish Derby (Group 1).
• pedigreequery.com – Irish Derby – Curragh.
• tbheritage.com – Irish Derby Stakes.
• The Sweeney guide to the Irish turf from 1501 to 2001 /by Tony & Annie Sweeney in association with Francis Hyland ; photographs by Caroline Norris ... [et al.].