Minstrel Stakes

Minstrel Stakes
Group 2 race
LocationCurragh Racecourse
County Kildare, Ireland
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
SponsorRobert Ng (as Romanised[1])
WebsiteCurragh
Race information
Distance7f (1,408 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-hand elbow
QualificationThree-years-old and up
Weight9 st 1 lb (3yo);
9 st 8 lb (4yo+)
Allowances
3 lb for fillies and mares
Penalties
3 lb for G1 winners *
* since 1 November last year
Purse€111,600 (2022)
1st: €70,800
Minstrel Stakes
2024
Yellow, large black spots, black spots on cap Black, yellow stars, black cap Red, black cross sashes, hooped cap
Poet Master Lord Massusus Mutasarref
Previous years
2022
Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap White, brown chevron, orange cap Dark green, light green yoke, light green armlet, dark green cap
Order Of Australia Pearls Galore Dr Zempf
2021
Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap Red, white star, white stars on sleeves, striped cap Purple and yellow diamonds, yellow sleeves, purple cap
Order Of Australia Njord Power Under Me
2020-2011
2020
Purple, red star and sleeves, red cap, purple star Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Dark blue and yellow quartered, quartered cap
Romanised Lancaster House Surrounding
2019
Purple, red star and sleeves, red cap, purple star Dark blue, orange star and star on cap Maroon, mauve epaulettes
Romanised Hey Gaman Safe Voyage
2018
Red, white sash, royal blue cap Dark blue, yellow hoop Emerald green, orange epaulettes and armlet, orange cap, white star
Larchmont Lad So Beloved Fas
2017
Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap Dark blue, yellow hoop Red and black stripes, red sleeves, striped cap
Spirit of Valor So Beloved Stormy Antarctic
2016
Red, white maltese cross, red cap Black and white hoops, royal blue cap, white star Royal blue, dark blue seams, royal blue sleeves and cap
Gordon Lord Byron Sovereign Debt Toscanini
2015
Red, white maltese cross, red cap Black and white hoops, royal blue cap, white star Emerald green, white chevrons, red sleeves, white armlets, red cap
Gordon Lord Byron Sovereign Debt Dark Emerald
2014
Pink, black triple diamond, black seams on sleeves, quartered cap Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap White, yellow epaulettes, yellow star on cap
Ansgar Darwin Eastern Rules
2013
Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap Red, white maltese cross, white cap White, purple panel, check cap
Darwin Gordon Lord Byron Leitir Mor
2012
Green, red epaulettes, green cap White, emerald green panel and sleeves, white cap Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap
Takar Singing Bird Among Equals
2011
Black, red epaulettes, yellow sleeves, yellow cap, red star White and royal blue halved, sleeves reversed, royal blue star on cap Dark blue, red cross sashes, yellow cap
Across The Rhine Future Generation Hujaylea
2010-2001
2010
Dark blue Maroon White, pink epaulettes, quartered cap
Air Chief Marshal Duff Dandy Boy
2009
White, purple panel, check cap Dark blue Black, white slvs, red cap, black star
Three Rocks Georgebernardshaw Mad About You
2008
YELLOW, royal blue hoop and armlet, white cap, royal blue star EMERALD GREEN, and white diabolo, white sleeves, quartered cap DARK BLUE
Jumbajukiba Al Qasi Georgebernardshaw
2007
Purple, white star, purple cap WHITE, dark green stars WHITE, black sash and cap
Redstone Dancer Hard Rock City Evening Time
2006
Eton Blue Maroon, White spots, White cap, Maroon spots Dark blue
Jedburgh Noelani Tiger Dance
2005
GREEN, red epaulettes, green cap Dark blue, light blue cross belts, striped sleeves, white cap Purple, pink star, purple sleeves, pink stars, white cap
Caradak Arakan Tropical Lady
2004
Green, pink sash and cap, white sleeves YELLOW, royal blue epaulettes, yellow cap, royal blue star Blue, yellow epaulets, striped sleeves, star on cap
Trade Fair One More Round Millennium Force
2003
BROWN and YELLOW QUARTERED, yellow sleeves, check cap DARK BLUE, yellow braces and armlet, quartered cap Blue, yellow epaulets, striped sleeves, star on cap
Avorado D'Anjou Millennium Force
2002
Navy Blue, Red and Light Blue hoop and armlets, White cap Black, white seams, star on cap Dark blue, yellow braces and armlets, quartered cap
Gateman One Won One D'Anjou
2001
Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Dark blue Purple, white cap, purple diamond
King Charlemagne Mull Of Kintyre Just Special
2000-1991
2000
Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap Royal Blue, Red Cross of Lorraine, White cap Dark blue
Shibl Mcdab Saffron Walden
1999
White, red hoop, striped sleeves, quartered cap Pink, black epaulets, diabolo on sleeves, star on cap White, Purple stripe, White sleeves, Check cap
Ramooz Risque Lady Lil's Boy
1998
Scarlet, white sleeves Black, Red chevron, sleeves and cap Dark blue
Burden Of Proof Centre Stalls Kincara Palace
1997
White, red hoop, striped sleeves, quartered cap Scarlet, white sleeves Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap
Ramooz Burden Of Proof Eternal Joy
1996
Yellow, black diamond and sleeves, red cap Dark green, white chevron and sleeves, white cap, green star Yellow, red sleeves, dark blue cap, red star
Restructure Bin Rosie Rainbow Blues
1995
GREEN, red epaulettes, green cap Royal blue and light blue diabolo, diabolo on sleeves, light blue cap White, large dark green spots, dark green sleeves
Hushang Ivory Frontier Two O'Clock Jump
1994
Yellow and purple (quartered), purple sleeves, purple cap, yellow spots Black and white hoops, royal blue cap, white star Yellow and white hoops
Wandering Thoughts Terrible Confusion Unusual Heat
1993
White, red epaulets, blue sleeves, white stars, red cuffs, red and blue quartered cap Light blue, dark blue sleeves, dark blue and yellow hooped cap BROWN and YELLOW QUARTERED, yellow sleeves, check cap
Asema Malvernico Via Parigi
1992
Pink, purple diamonds, purple sleeves, quartered cap BROWN and YELLOW QUARTERED, yellow sleeves, check cap White, royal blue triple diamond, white cap, emerald green star
Via Borghese Nordic Brief Millie's Choice
1991
Pink, purple striped cap Red and white stripes, white sleeves, yellow cap Royal blue, white chevron, light blue cap
Rimpa Bold Russian Jameelaty
 

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

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Time
1988 Executive Perk 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:43.20
1989 Twilight Agenda 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:49.50
1990 Go and Go 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:38.00
1991 Rimpa 3 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien 1:35.60
1992 Via Borghese 3 Walter Swinburn Vincent O'Brien 1:40.20
1993 Asema 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:41.00
1994 Wandering Thoughts 5 Christy Roche Aidan O'Brien 1:43.30
1995 Hushang 5 Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 1:39.50
1996 Restructure 4 Paul Eddery Julie Cecil 1:37.60
1997 Ramooz 4 Kieren Fallon Ben Hanbury 1:38.80
1998 Burden of Proof 6 Johnny Murtagh Charles O'Brien 1:42.70
1999 Ramooz 6 Jimmy Fortune Ben Hanbury 1:39.10
2000 Shibl 3 Stephen Craine Kevin Prendergast 1:36.90
2001 King Charlemagne 3 Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien 1:23.80
2002 Gateman 5 Keith Dalgleish Mark Johnston 1:26.40
2003 Avorado 5 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:24.80
2004 Trade Fair 4 Richard Hughes Roger Charlton 1:21.50
2005 Caradak 4 Michael Kinane John Oxx 1:21.20
2006 Jedburgh 5 Seb Sanders John Dunlop 1:28.60
2007 Redstone Dancer 5 Pat Shanahan Sheena Collins 1:32.79
2008 Jumbajukiba 5 Fran Berry Jessica Harrington 1:26.26
2009 Three Rocks 4 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:28.61
2010 Air Chief Marshal 3 Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien 1:23.92
2011 Across the Rhine 5 Pat Shanahan Tracey Collins 1:27.60
2012 Takar 3 Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 1:33.08
2013 Darwin 3 Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien 1:24.08
2014 Ansgar 4 Pat Smullen Sabrina Harty 1:23.11
2015 Gordon Lord Byron[a] 7 Wayne Lordan Tom Hogan 1:25.11
2016 Gordon Lord Byron 8 Billy Lee Tom Hogan 1:23.30
2017 Spirit Of Valor 3 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:24.56
2018 Larchmont Lad 4 James Doyle David O'Meara 1:23.63
2019 Romanised 4 Billy Lee Ken Condon 1:22.07
2020 Romanised 5 Billy Lee Ken Condon 1:25.88
2021 Order of Australia 4 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:27.28
2022 Order of Australia 5 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:25.24
2023 Zarinksk [b] 3 Colin Keane Ger Lyons 1:30.45
2024 Poet Master 4 Sam James Karl Burke 1:23.74
  1. ^ Home Of The Brave finished first in 2015, but was disqualified after failing a drug test
  2. ^ The 2023 race was run at Leopardstown after the original Curragh fixture was abandoned due to heavy rainfall

See also

References

  1. ^ Robert Ng To Sponsor Minstrel S.
  2. ^ "European Pattern Committee announces changes to the 2016 European Programme / 21 Jan 16". British Horseracing Authority. Retrieved 30 March 2016.