Irish Champions Festival

Aidan O'Brien has trained 13 winners of the Irish Champion Stakes, the centrepiece of the Irish Champions Festival. His first came with Giant's Causeway in 2000 and his latest with Delacroix in 2025, ridden by Christophe Soumillon. His dual winner Magical (2019 and 2020) shares the record for a horse with Dylan Thomas. In 2026 his favourite Constitution River was third behind the 50-1 winner Hotazhell.

4Irish St Leger
wins

Four Irish St Legers in a row, 2001 to 2004

Vinnie Roe is the only horse to have won the Irish St Leger four times. Trained by the Curragh-based Dermot Weld and ridden each time by Pat Smullen, he won the Curragh Classic every year from 2001 to 2004. The fourth, in 2004, came as 7-2 joint-favourite, two and a half lengths clear of Brian Boru. Since then Order Of St George, Search For A Song and Kyprios have each won it twice, but none has managed a third victory.

7Irish Champion
Stakes wins

The jockeys' record in the Irish Champion

Michael Kinane rode seven winners of the Irish Champion Stakes, the most by any jockey. The first came on Carroll House in 1989 and the last on Sea the Stars in 2009, the year he retired. In between he won on Cézanne (1994), Pilsudski (1997), Giant's Causeway (2000), High Chaparral (2003) and Azamour (2004). Sea the Stars won six Group 1 races under Kinane that season, including the Derby and the Arc.

Stories of the 2023 Winners

Irish Champion Stakes

Auguste Rodin

With this win, Auguste Rodin now has 3 Group 1 wins this season. The winning margin was half a length. The field numbered 8 runners. The win was worth EUR 725,000 to the winner. The winning time was 2m 2.68s.

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Matron Stakes

Tahiyra

With this win, Tahiyra now has 3 Group 1 wins this season. The field numbered 12 runners. The three-year-old filly is by Siyouni out of Tarana. The win was worth EUR 240,000 to the winner. The winning time was 1m 37.50s.

Flying Five Stakes

Moss Tucker

Former winner Highfield Princess (2022) was among the beaten runners, finishing fifth. The horse was an outsider, returned at decimal odds of 20.9. The win was worth EUR 240,000 to the winner. The winning time was 1m 0.89s.

Irish St. Leger

Eldar Eldarov

Former winner Kyprios (2022) was among the beaten runners, finishing second. The four-year-old colt is by Dubawi out of All At Sea. The win was worth EUR 348,000 to the winner. The winning time was 3m 1.72s.

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Vincent O'Brien National Stakes

Aidan O'Brien

Aidan O'Brien had come close here before: Point Lonsdale was second in 2021. With this win, the stable leads the trainers' table on 13 Group 1 wins. Next in the table: John & Thady Gosden (8) and Chris Waller (8).