Flat horse race in Ireland
Horse race
The Minstrel 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 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.
The event is named after The Minstrel, a successful Irish-trained racehorse in the 1970s. It was formerly held at Phoenix Park in late April or early May, and it used to be contested by three-year-olds over a mile. For a period it was classed at Listed level.[citation needed]
The race was transferred to the Curragh and switched to July in 1991, and at this point it was opened to older horses. It was promoted to Group 3 status in 1996, and cut to 7 furlongs in 2001. The minimum age of participating horses was raised to four in 2002, and three-year-olds were re-admitted in 2007. It was upgraded to Group 2 level from the 2016 running.[2]
Records
Most successful horse since 1988 (2 wins):
Leading jockey since 1988 (6 wins):
- Michael Kinane – Executive Perk (1988), Twilight Agenda (1989), Go and Go (1990), Asema (1993), King Charlemagne (2001), Caradak (2005)
Leading trainer since 1988 (7 wins):
- Aidan O'Brien - Wandering Thoughts (1994), King Charlemagne (2001), Air Chief Marshal (2010), Darwin (2013), Spirit Of Valor (2017), Order of Australia (2021,2022)
Winners since 1988
- ^ Home Of The Brave finished first in 2015, but was disqualified after failing a drug test
- ^ The 2023 race was run at Leopardstown after the original Curragh fixture was abandoned due to heavy rainfall
See also
References
- ^ Robert Ng To Sponsor Minstrel S.
- ^ "European Pattern Committee announces changes to the 2016 European Programme / 21 Jan 16". British Horseracing Authority. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- 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, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- galopp-sieger.de – Minstrel Stakes.
- ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Minstrel Stakes (2019).
- irishracinggreats.com – Minstrel Stakes (Group 3).
- pedigreequery.com – Minstrel Stakes – Curragh.