The Weld Park Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September or October.
History The event was originally held at Phoenix Park, and it used to be contested over a mile. For a period it was called the Wexford Stakes, and it was later renamed the Park Stakes. It was shortened to 7 furlongs in 1971.
The trainer Dermot Weld started to sponsor the race in the 1980s, and it was subsequently run in memory of his father Charlie Weld (also a trainer). The C. L. Weld Park Stakes was transferred to the Curragh in 1991. In 2014 the name of Dermot Weld's mother, Marguerite, was added to the race title and it became the C. L. & M. F. Weld Park Stakes. Since 2018 it has been run as the Weld Park Stakes.
Notable winners of the race have included Ridgewood Pearl, Alborada, Imagine and Qualify.
Records Leading jockey since 1965 (7 wins): Michael Kinane – Lone Bidder (1980), Countess Candy (1982), Gaily Gaily (1985), Trusted Partner (1987), Asema (1992), Arch Swing (2006), Eva's Request (2007)
Leading trainer since 1965 (7 wins): John Oxx – Isle of Glass (1990), Tarwiya (1991), Morcote (1993), Ridgewood Pearl (1994), Rafayda (1998), Arch Swing (2006), My Titania (2013) Aidan O'Brien - Imagine (2000), Magical Dream (2012), Qualify (2014), Coolmore (2015), Hermosa (2018), Concert Hall (2021), Heavens Gate (2024)
Winners since 1980 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Time 1980 Lone Bidder Michael Kinane Michael Kauntze 1981 More Heather Peadar Matthews Liam Browne 1:30.10 1982 Countess Candy Michael Kinane Liam Browne 1:29.30 1983 Ballet de France Christy Roche David O'Brien 1984 Jolly Saint George McGrath Paul Doyle 1985 Gaily Gaily Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:23.40 1986 Sea Dara John Matthias Ian Balding 1:23.60 1987 Trusted Partner Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:31.60 1988 Tantum Ergo Richard Quinn Edward Lynam 1:22.60 1989 Wedding Bouquet John Reid Vincent O'Brien 1:20.10 1990 Isle of Glass Ron Quinton John Oxx 1:21.00 1991 Tarwiya Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 1:31.90 1992 Asema Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:32.60 1993 Morcote Dermot Hogan John Oxx 1:31.00 1994 Ridgewood Pearl Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 1:32.90 1995 Last Second George Duffield Sir Mark Prescott 1:28.20 1996 Token Gesture Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:26.20 1997 Alborada Seb Sanders Sir Mark Prescott 1:26.10 1998 Rafayda Johnny Murtagh John Oxx 1:36.30 1999 Theoretically Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:33.90 2000 Imagine Paul Scallan Aidan O'Brien 1:32.90 2001 Red Rioja Fran Berry Eoghan O'Neill 1:32.20 2002 Rag Top Dane O'Neill Richard Hannon Sr. 1:25.10 2003 Venturi Richard Hughes David Wachman 1:25.50 2004 Jazz Princess Niall McCullagh Jessica Harrington 1:26.70 2005 Ugo Fire Declan McDonogh Kevin Prendergast 1:29.20 2006 Arch Swing Michael Kinane John Oxx 1:27.10 2007 Eva's Request Michael Kinane Mick Channon 1:30.25 2008 Chintz Seamie Heffernan David Wachman 1:25.89 2009 Lady Springbank Willie Supple Paul Deegan 1:24.02 2010 Chrysanthemum Wayne Lordan David Wachman 1:28.96 2011 Coral Wave Declan McDonogh Patrick Prendergast 1:32.90 2012 Magical Dream Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien 1:33.66 2013 My Titania Declan McDonogh John Oxx 1:24.20 2014 Qualify Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien 1:22.65 2015 Coolmore Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien 1:27.12 2016 Eziyra Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:30.36 2017 Ellthea Colm O'Donoghue Karl Burke 1:30.23 2018 Hermosa Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:26.52 2019 New York Girl Shane Crosse Joseph O'Brien 1:30.14 2020 Elysium Billy Lee Noel Meade 1:28.17 2021 Concert Hall Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 1:26.70 2022 Basil Martini Declan McDonogh Joseph O'Brien 1:27.20 2023 Caught U Looking Ben Coen Noel Meade 1:30.33 2024 Heavens Gate Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:30.15 2025 Black Caviar Gold Billy Lee Paddy Twomey 1:29.382026CurracloeBen CoenJohnny Murtagh1:28.30
Earlier winners
1965: Crystal Light * 1966: Graunuaile 1967: Windy Gay 1968: Another Daughter 1969: Royal Words 1970: Three Roses 1971: Al-Burak 1972: Fiery Diplomat 1973: Silk Buds 1974: Small World 1975: Capricious 1976: All Serene 1977: Turkish Treasure 1978: Solar 1979: Mulvilla
* Moon Dancer finished first in 1965, but she was disqualified.
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
galopp-sieger.de – C. L. Weld Stakes. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – C. L. Weld Park Stakes (2018). irishracinggreats.com – C. L. Weld Park Stakes (Group 3). pedigreequery.com – C. L. Weld Park Stakes – Curragh.