Sapphire Stakes (Ireland)

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English Template:Short description Template:Template other Template:Jockey colours header Template:Jockey colours row |} Template:Jockey colours collapsible header Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours no footer Template:Jockey colours named collapsible header Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours no footer Template:Jockey colours named collapsible header Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours row Template:Jockey colours footer The Sapphire Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.

The event was established in 2001, and it was originally classed at Listed level. For several years it was registered as the Richard H. Faught Memorial Stakes. It was renamed the Sapphire Stakes and promoted to Group 3 status in 2008. It was raised to Group 2 level in 2015.

The Sapphire Stakes was originally part of the Curragh's three-day Irish Derby Festival meeting. In 2015 it was moved to the Irish Oaks meeting and it is currently held on the second day, the day after the Irish Oaks.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

• Benbaun – 2005, 2009

Leading jockey (3 wins):

• Johnny Murtagh – Deportivo (2003), Snaefell (2007), Definightly (2012)

Leading trainer (2 wins):

• Michael Halford – Snaefell (2007), Invincible Ash (2011)
• Roger Charlton - Deportivo (2003), Definightly (2012)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Time
2001	Repertory	8	Fergus Sweeney	Malcolm Saunders	0:59.40
2002	Tiger Royal	6	Pat Shanahan	Dermot Weld	0:59.80
2003	Deportivo	3	Johnny Murtagh	Roger Charlton	0:59.70
2004	Osterhase	5	Fran Berry	John Mulhern	0:57.30
2005	Benbaun	4	Kieren Fallon	Mark Wallace	0:57.40
2006	Dandy Man	3	Pat Shanahan	Con Collins	0:58.40
2007	Snaefell	3	Johnny Murtagh	Michael Halford	1:02.90
2008	Tax Free	6	Adrian Nicholls	David Nicholls	0:59.03
2009	Benbaun	8	Pat Smullen	Kevin Ryan	1:00.03
2010	Glamorous Spirit	4	Kieren Fallon	Ron Harris	0:57.85
2011	Invincible Ash	6	Gary Carroll	Michael Halford	1:00.13
2012	Definightly	6	Johnny Murtagh	Roger Charlton	1:02.13
2013	Slade Power	4	Wayne Lordan	Edward Lynam	0:57.51
2014	Fountain Of Youth	3	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	0:59.01
2015	Stepper Point	6	Pat Smullen	William Muir	0:58.75
2016	Mecca's Angel	5	Paul Mulrennan	Michael Dods	0:58.61
2017	Caspian Prince	8	Declan McDonogh	Tony Coyle	0:57.15
2018	Havana Grey	3	P. J. McDonald	Karl Burke	0:58.21
2019	Soffia	4	Declan McDonogh	Edward Lynam	0:58.51
2020	A’Ali	3	Colin Keane	Simon & Ed Crisford	0:59.85
2021	Mooneista	3	Colin Keane	Jack W Davison	0:58.75
2022	Ladies Church	3	Ben Coen	Johnny Murtagh	1:00.86
2023	Art Power	6	David Allan	Tim Easterby	1:00.92
2024	Believing	4	Ryan Moore	George Boughey	0:57.96

See also

• Horse racing in Ireland
• List of Irish flat horse races

References

• Racing Post:
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• galopp-sieger.de – Sapphire Stakes.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Sapphire Stakes (2018).