The Royal Whip Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,012 metres) at the Curragh in August.

History The event was established in 1821, and it was originally a long-distance race for horses aged four or older. It was named after its trophy, a gold-handled whip presented to the Irish Turf Club by King George IV. It was initially one of a series of races known as the Royal Plates.

The trophy was replaced by a new whip provided by King William IV in 1830. The event was opened to three-year-olds in 1832. It was limited to Irish-bred horses for a period after the 1860s.

The Royal Whip Stakes was cut to miles in 1925, and to 2 miles in 1936. Its original prize fund of 100 guineas remained unchanged until 1954. From this point it was contested over miles.

The race was given Group 3 status in the early 1970s. It was shortened to miles in 1995, and promoted to Group 2 level in 1998. It was relegated back to Group 3 in 2013.

With its edition in , the Royal Whip Stakes is Ireland's oldest continuously run horse race.

Records Most successful horse (3 wins): Roller – 1822, 1824, 1825 Skylark – 1830, 1831, 1832

Leading jockey since 1950 (7 wins): Michael Kinane – Kamakura (1985), Beyond the Lake (1989), Rayseka (1993), King Alex (1997), Make No Mistake (1998), Bach (2001), High Chaparral (2003)

Leading trainer since 1950 (13 wins): Vincent O'Brien – Ross Sea (1959), Bally Joy (1965), Reindeer (1970), Tantoul (1971), Manitoulin (1972), Cavo Doro (1973), Alleged (1977, 1978), Last Light (1981), Lords (1982), Empire Glory (1984), Baba Karam (1987), Splash of Colour (1990)

Winners since 1977 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Time 1977 Alleged 3 Peadar Matthews Vincent O'Brien 2:43.20 1978 Alleged 4 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien 2:36.40 1979 The Bart 3 Christy Roche Ted Curtin 1980 My Hollow 5 Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger 1981 Last Light 3 Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1982 Lords 3 Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1983 Condell 4 Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger 1984 Empire Glory 3 Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1985 Kamakura 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1986 Dubian 4 Pat Eddery Alec Stewart 1987 Baba Karam 3 Declan Gillespie Vincent O'Brien 2:34.30 1988 Heavenly Manna 3 Christy Roche Paddy Mullins 2:46.80 1989 Beyond the Lake 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 2:35.50 1990 Splash of Colour 3 John Reid Vincent O'Brien 2:32.20 1991 George Augustus 3 Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 2:54.80 1992 Jahafil 4 Willie Carson Dick Hern 2:36.20 1993 Rayseka 3 Michael Kinane John Oxx 2:35.90 1994 Dancing Sunset 3 Christy Roche Aidan O'Brien 2:34.00 1995 Shemaran 3 Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 2:02.90 1996 Pilsudski 4 Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute 2:03.00 1997 King Alex 4 Michael Kinane Roger Charlton 2:04.80 1998 Make No Mistake 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 2:01.80 1999 Zomaradah 4 John Reid Luca Cumani 2:04.00 2000 Takali 3 Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 2:13.70 2001 Bach 4 Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien 2:12.20 2002 Chancellor 4 Michael Hills Barry Hills 2:11.10 2003 High Chaparral 4 Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien 2:04.80 2004 Solskjaer 4 Jamie Spencer Aidan O'Brien 2:02.90 2005 Tropical Lady 5 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 2:07.60 2006 Mustameet 5 Declan McDonogh Kevin Prendergast 2:07.30 2007 Eagle Mountain 3 Kieren Fallon Aidan O'Brien 2:15.59 2008 King of Rome 3 Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien 2:12.84 2009 Casual Conquest 4 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 2:15.74 2010 Fame and Glory 4 Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien 2:06.62 2011 Banimpire 3 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 2:10.43 2012 Famous Name 7 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 2:19.39 2013 Maputo 3 Joe Fanning Mark Johnston 2:08.13 2014 Hall of Mirrors 4 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 2:11.46 2015 Found 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 2:09.88 2016 Success Days 4 Shane Foley Ken Condon 2:13.27 2017 Shamreen 4 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 2:11.44 2018 Beautiful Morning 5 Colm O'Donoghue Jessica Harrington 2:09.63 2019 Buckhurst 3 Donnacha O'Brien Joseph O'Brien 2:13.99 2020 Armory 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 2:10.84 2021 Earlswood 3 Shane B Kelly Johnny Murtagh 2:09.26 2022 Luxembourg 3 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 2:10.84 2023 Layfayette 6 Colin Keane Noel Meade 2:07.41 2024 Continuous 4 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 2:04.09 2025 Zahrann 3 Ben Coen Johnny Murtagh 2:06.84 2026 A Boy Named Susie 3 Oisin Murphy Donnacha O'Brien 2:05.23

Earlier winners

1821: Langar 1822: Roller 1823: Langar 1824: Roller 1825: Roller 1826: Miss Foote 1827: Balderdash 1828: Paddy Whack 1829: Napoleon 1830: Skylark 1831: Skylark 1832: Skylark 1833: Napoleon 1834: Thump 1835: Rust 1836: Exchange 1837: Harkaway 1838: Cregane 1839: Retriever 1840: St Lawrence 1841: Great Wonder 1842: Bangor 1843: Fairy Queen 1844: King Dan 1845: The Switcher 1846: Burgundy 1847: Rat Trap 1848: Dough 1849: The Baroness 1850: Marchioness d'Eu 1851: Kick Up the Dust 1852: Chaseaway 1853: Chaseaway 1854: Doctor O'Toole 1855: The Chicken 1856: The Chicken 1857: The Tattler 1858: Agitation 1859: Hibernia 1860: Shamrock 1861: The Lawyer 1862: Castle Hackett 1863: Tourist 1864: Woodman 1865: Lord Conyngham 1866: Dunsany 1867: Columbus 1868: Aneroid 1869: The Scout 1870: Finesse 1871: Trieste 1872: Speculation 1873: Bedouin 1874: Christmas 1875: Ingomar 1876: Fair Alice 1877: Piersfield 1878: Matilda 1879: Sisyphus 1880: Miriam 1881: Miriam 1882: Buckshot 1883: Peace 1884: Xema 1885: Sylvan Queen 1886: Sylvan Queen 1887: Campanula 1888: Little John 1889: Little John 1890: Golden Crescent 1891: Chatterbox 1892: Red Prince 1893: Golden Ring 1894: Starlight 1895: The Jew 1896: Aline 1897: Gustaloga 1898: The Falloch 1899: Lillian Noel 1900: The Falloch 1901: Glenmalur 1902: Driftwood 1903: Sylvan Park 1904: Sylvan Park 1905: Claret Lass 1906: Claret Lass 1907: Mrs Lyons 1908: Bouncing Bess 1909: Octocide 1910: Lorello 1911: Castle Jewel 1912: Master of Light 1913: Laoghaire 1914: Bachelor's Fiasco 1915: Garrus 1916: Scarlet Rambler 1917: Noham 1918: King Frusquin 1919: Earn's Glen 1920: Red Flag 1921: Coup d'Essai 1922: Carthage 1923: Mullagher-a-Boo 1924: Blue Fish 1925: Jillsome 1926: Philanderer 1927: Lomond's Lake 1928: Tan Girl 1929: Swift Agnes 1930: Nice Token 1931: Sahabelle 1932: Cloverdale 1933: Song of the Hills 1934: Theorosa 1935: Sol Erin 1936: Harvest Star 1937: Kildonan's Hope 1938: Corofin 1939: Dennison 1940: Antrim 1941: Etoile de Lyons 1942: Anniversary 1943: Blue Speck 1944: Rhodes 1945: Golden Spur 1946: Spring Offensive 1947: Lorimer 1948: Signal Service 1949: Eastern Gem 1950: L'Horizon 1951: Storm Beacon 1952: Beau Sire 1953: Sunny Streak 1954: Hidalgo 1955: Zarathustra 1956: Jongleur 1957: Solartickle 1958: Irish Penny 1959: Ross Sea 1960: Avril Sprite 1961: Azurine 1962: Gay Challenger 1963: Nos Royalistes 1964: Cassim 1965: Bally Joy 1966: Wedding Present 1967: Vendor 1968: Stitch 1969: Candy Cane 1970: Reindeer 1971: Tantoul 1972: Manitoulin 1973: Cavo Doro 1974: Klairvimy 1975: Consol 1976: Yankee Gold

See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races

References

Paris-Turf: , , , , Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

galopp-sieger.de – Royal Whip Stakes. ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Royal Whip Stakes (2019). irishracinggreats.com – Royal Whip Stakes. pedigreequery.com – Royal Whip Stakes – Curragh. tbheritage.com – Royal Whip Stakes.