Ballysax Stakes
The Ballysax Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,012 metres) at Leopardstown in April.
Group 3 race | |
Location | Leopardstown County Dublin, Ireland |
---|---|
Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
Website | Leopardstown |
Race information | |
Distance | 1m 2f (2,012 metres) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Three-year-olds |
Weight | 9 st 5 lb Allowances 3 lb for fillies Penalties 5 lb for G1 / G2 winners 3 lb for G3 winners |
Purse | €50,000 (2021) 1st: €29,500 |
2023 | ||
White Birch | Up And Under | Alexandroupolis |
Previous years | ||
---|---|---|
2022 | ||
Piz Badile | Buckaroo | Duke De Sessa |
2021 | ||
Bolshoi Ballet | Flying Visit | Taipan |
2020-2011 | ||
---|---|---|
2020 | ||
Nobel Prize | Indicative Vote | Dalvey |
2018 | ||
Nelson | Delano Roosevelt | The Pentagon |
2017 | ||
Rekindling | Douglas Macarthur | Yucatan |
2016 | ||
Harzand | Idaho | Beacon Rock |
2015 | ||
Success Days | Zafilani | John F Kennedy |
2014 | ||
Fascinating Rock | Answered | All Set To Go |
2013 | ||
Battle Of Marengo | Sugar Boy | Imperial Concorde |
2012 | ||
Light Heavy | Call To Battle | Tower Rock |
2011 | ||
Banimpire | Regent Street | Recital |
2010-2001 | ||
---|---|---|
2010 | ||
Puncher Clynch | At First Sight | Mikhail Glinka |
2009 | ||
Fame And Glory | Fergus Mciver | Mourayan |
2008 | ||
Moiqen | Hebridean | Unwritten Rule |
2007 | ||
Mores Wells | Ferneley | Macarthur |
2006 | ||
Rhythm'n Roots | Golden Arrow | Altius |
2005 | ||
Bobs Pride | Mister Hight | Clash Of The Ash |
2004 | ||
Yeats | Dabiroun | Lord Admiral |
2003 | ||
Balestrini | Alamshar | Alberto Giacometti |
2002 | ||
High Chaparral | Twentytwoandchange | Rahn |
2001 | ||
Galileo | Milan | Vinnie Roe |
2000-1991 | ||
---|---|---|
2000 | ||
Grand Finale | Sinndar | Lammas |
1999 | ||
Cupid | Royal Rebel | Port Bayou |
1998 | ||
Aislo | Risk Material | Make No Mistake |
1997 | ||
Casey Tibbs | Zafarabad | Caiseal Ros |
1996 | ||
Key Change | Harghar | Peace Offering |
1995 | ||
Humbel | Zabadi | Rawy |
1994 | ||
Cajarian | Lake Kariba | City Nights |
1993 | ||
Shandon Lake | Danse Royale | Sinissipi |
1992 | ||
Ebaziya | Reported | Gallardini |
1991 | ||
Jet Ski Lady | Classic Minstrel | Legal Profession |
1990-1988 | ||
---|---|---|
1990 | ||
Cheering News | Boarding School | Parting Moment |
1989 | ||
Upward Trend | Just A Millionaire | Beyond The Lake |
1988 | ||
Saxon Cottage | Safety Catch | Esprit D'Etoile |
History
The event was formerly held at the Curragh, and it used to be classed at Listed level. It was transferred to Leopardstown in 1993, and promoted to Group 3 status in 2003. The 2014 running was held at Navan as the normal Leopardstown fixture was judged to be too early in the season to serve as a trial race for the European classics.[1]
The Ballysax Stakes is currently run in memory of Patrick W. McGrath (died 2001). McGrath served as chairman of the Racing Board (a precursor of Horse Racing Ireland), which purchased Leopardstown Racecourse in 1967. The race serves as trial race for various European classics and the most recent winner to go on to a classic victory was Harzand, winner of the Epsom Derby in 2016.
Records
Leading jockey since 1986 (6 wins):
- Michael Kinane – Cheering News (1990), Humbel (1995), Casey Tibbs (1997), Cupid (1999), Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002)
Leading trainer since 1986 (11 wins):
- Aidan O'Brien – Cupid (1999), Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Balestrini (2003), Yeats (2004), Fame and Glory (2009), Battle of Marengo (2013), Nelson (2018), Broome (2019), Nobel Prize (2020), Bolshoi Ballet (2021)
Winners since 1986
Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
1986 | Imperial Falcon | Pat Eddery | Vincent O'Brien | 2:18.30 |
1987 | Ancient Times | Cash Asmussen | Vincent O'Brien | 2:10.80 |
1988 | Saxon Cottage | Ron Quinton | John Oxx | 2:16.40 |
1989 | Upward Trend | Christy Roche | Jim Bolger | 2:19.10 |
1990 | Cheering News | Michael Kinane | Dermot Weld | 2:08.60 |
1991 | Jet Ski Lady | Christy Roche | Jim Bolger | 2:11.90 |
1992 | Ebaziya | Johnny Murtagh | John Oxx | 2:21.50 |
1993 | Shandon Lake | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | 2:12.20 |
1994 | Cajarian | Johnny Murtagh | John Oxx | 2:12.30 |
1995 | Humbel | Michael Kinane | Dermot Weld | 2:13.80 |
1996 | Key Change | Dermot Hogan | John Oxx | 2:14.20 |
1997 | Casey Tibbs | Michael Kinane | Dermot Weld | 2:06.40 |
1998 | Aislo | Fran Berry | Declan Gillespie | 2:24.20 |
1999 | Cupid | Michael Kinane | Aidan O'Brien | 2:07.50 |
2000 | Grand Finale | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld | 2:19.70 |
2001 | Galileo | Michael Kinane | Aidan O'Brien | 2:20.10 |
2002 | High Chaparral | Michael Kinane | Aidan O'Brien | 2:05.90 |
2003 | Balestrini | Tom Queally | Aidan O'Brien | 2:05.90 |
2004 | Yeats | Jamie Spencer | Aidan O'Brien | 2:23.40 |
2005 | Bobs Pride | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld | 2:18.50 |
2006 | Rhythm'n Roots | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | 2:05.90 |
2007 | Mores Wells | Declan McDonogh | Kevin Prendergast | 2:05.50 |
2008 | Moiqen | Declan McDonogh | Kevin Prendergast | 2:13.66 |
2009 | Fame and Glory | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan O'Brien | 2:07.49 |
2010 | Puncher Clynch | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | 2:08.16 |
2011 | Banimpire | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | 2:04.73 |
2012 | Light Heavy | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | 2:08.04 |
2013 | Battle of Marengo | Joseph O'Brien | Aidan O'Brien | 2:16.58 |
2014 | Fascinating Rock [lower-alpha 1] | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld | 2:16.89 |
2015 | Success Days | Shane Foley | Ken Condon | 2:23.87 |
2016 | Harzand | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld | 2:19.11 |
2017 | Rekindling | Wayne Lordan | Joseph O'Brien | 2:08.88 |
2018 | Nelson | Donnacha O'Brien | Aidan O'Brien | 2:26.58 |
2019 | Broome | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien | 2:12.61 |
2020 | Nobel Prize[lower-alpha 2] | Killian Hennessy | Aidan O'Brien | 2:16.91 |
2021 | Bolshoi Ballet | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien | 2:11.61 |
2022 | Piz Badile | Gavin Ryan | Donnacha O'Brien | 2:09.80 |
2023 | White Birch | Shane Foley | JJ Murphy | 2:19.95 |
- The 2014 running took place at Navan
- The 2020 race was run at Dundalk in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
References
- O'Connor, Brian (8 April 2014). "Ballysax shifts to Navan for renewal". Irish Times. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
- Paris-Turf:
- Racing Post:
- galopp-sieger.de – Ballysax Stakes.
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Ballysax Stakes (2019).
- pedigreequery.com – Ballysax Stakes – Leopardstown.