Irish St. Leger

Group 1 race
Irish St. Leger
Location	Curragh Racecourse Co. Kildare, Ireland
Inaugurated	1915
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor	Irish Field
Website	Curragh
Race information
Distance	1m 6f (2,816 metres)
Track	Turf, right-handed
Qualification	Three-years-old and up
Weight	9 st 0 lb (3yo); 9 st 11 lb (4yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares
Purse	€275,000 (2009) 1st: €160,050

The Irish St. Leger is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,816 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

The event was established in 1915, and it was originally restricted to three-year-old horses only. It was modelled on the St. Leger Stakes in England, and the first horse to win both races was Royal Lancer in 1922. The first winner of the Irish Triple Crown (which comprises the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Irish Derby and the Irish St. Leger) was Museum in 1935.

The Irish St. Leger was opened to horses aged four or older in 1983. Since then there have been several repeat winners, and the most successful is Vinnie Roe, who recorded his fourth victory in 2004. The leading horses from the race in recent years have often gone on to compete in the Melbourne Cup.

Records

Most successful horse (4 wins):

• Vinnie Roe – 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

Leading jockey (7 wins):

• Morny Wing – Kirk-Alloway (1920), O'Dempsey (1923), Sol de Terre (1930), Ochiltree (1938), Windsor Slipper (1942), Spam (1945), Esprit de France (1947)

Leading trainer (9 wins):

• Vincent O'Brien – Barclay (1959), White Gloves (1966), Reindeer (1969), Caucasus (1975), Meneval (1976), Transworld (1977), Gonzales (1980), Leading Counsel (1985), Dark Lomond (1988)

Winners since 1975

Earlier winners

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

• galopp-sieger.de – Irish St. Leger.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Irish St. Leger (2009).
• pedigreequery.com – Irish St. Leger – Curragh.
• tbheritage.com – Irish St. Leger.

See also

• List of Irish flat horse races