The Curragh Cup 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 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,816 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.
The event was established in 1987, and for a period it was classed at Listed level. It was promoted to Group 3 status in 1994 and upgraded again to Group 2 status in 2016.
The race is part of the Curragh's three-day Irish Derby Festival meeting, and it is currently held on the first day. The Curragh Cup has been won by several top-class horses including Almaarad, Vintage Crop, Daliapour, Kastoria, Septimus, Red Cadeaux and Rekindling.
Records
Most successful horse (2 wins): Vintage Crop – 1993, 1995 Mkuzi – 2004, 2005 Ernest Hemingway - 2013, 2014 Twilight Payment - 2019, 2020
Leading jockey (5 wins): Michael Kinane – Vintage Crop (1993, 1995), Daliapour (2002), Mkuzi (2004), Kastoria (2006)
Leading trainer (9 wins): Aidan O'Brien - Septimus (2008), Ernest Hemingway (2013, 2014), Bondi Beach (2015), Sword Fighter (2016), Flag Of Honour (2018), Amhran Na Bhfiann (2021), Emily Dickinson (2023), Tower Of London (2024)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Time 1987 Almaarad 4 Pat Eddery John Dunlop 3:11.00 1988 Heavenly Manna 3 Christy Roche Paddy Mullins 3:04.60 1989 Tyrone Bridge 3 David Parnell Kevin Prendergast 3:00.60 1990 Thetford Forest 3 Ron Quinton John Oxx 2:55.40 1991 Hateel 5 Willie Carson Peter Walwyn 3:03.70 1992 Arrikala 3 Christy Roche Jim Bolger 2:55.40 1993 Vintage Crop 6 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 3:04.90 1994 Witness Box 7 John Reid John Oxx 3:04.30 1995 Vintage Crop 8 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 3:00.20 1996 Blushing Flame 5 John Reid Sir Michael Stoute 3:00.60 1997 Orchestra Stall 5 Pat Eddery John Dunlop 3:04.50 1998 Memorise 4 Kieren Fallon Sir Henry Cecil 3:16.30 1999 Maridpour 4 Gary Stevens Sir Michael Stoute 3:01.40 2000 Quality Team 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 3:05.60 2001 Chimes at Midnight 4 Wayne Smith Luke Comer 3:22.50 2002 Daliapour 6 Michael Kinane Sir Michael Stoute 3:04.30 2003 Maharib 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 3:04.40 2004 Mkuzi 5 Michael Kinane John Oxx 2:59.70 2005 Mkuzi 6 Fran Berry John Oxx 3:05.50 2006 Kastoria 5 Michael Kinane John Oxx 2:58.64 2007 Peppertree Lane 4 Kevin Darley Mark Johnston 3:10.99 2008 Septimus 5 Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien 3:07.17 2009 Profound Beauty 5 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 3:03.35 2010 Tactic 4 Tadhg O'Shea John Dunlop 2:58.92 2011 Red Cadeaux 5 Tom McLaughlin Ed Dunlop 3:05.82 2012 Hartani 3 Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 3:12.72 2013 Ernest Hemingway 4 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 2:56.33 2014 Ernest Hemingway 5 Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien 3:04.68 2015 Bondi Beach 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 3:03.31 2016 Sword Fighter 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 3:08.37 2017 Rekindling 3 Wayne Lordan Joseph O'Brien 3:03.33 2018 Flag Of Honour 3 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 3:02.46 2019 Twilight Payment 6 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 3:03.83 2020 Twilight Payment 7 Declan McDonogh Joseph O'Brien 3:07.18 2021 Amhran Na Bhfiann 4 Colin Keane Aidan O'Brien 3:03.28 2022 Camorra 5 Colin Keane Ger Lyons 3:03.70 2023 Emily Dickinson 4 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 3:16.00 2024 Tower Of London 4 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 3:01.60 2025 Al Riffa 5 Dylan Browne McMonagle Joseph O'Brien 3:01.81 2026 Trustyourinstinct 6 Declan McDonogh Joseph O'Brien 2:58.30
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races
References
Paris-Turf:
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
galopp-sieger.de – Curragh Cup. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Curragh Cup (2018). irishracinggreats.com – Curragh Cup (Group 3). pedigreequery.com – Curragh Cup – Curragh.