The Desmond Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.
The event is named after Desmond, a champion sire in 1913. It was formerly held at the Curragh, and it used to be known as the Desmond Plate.
The race was transferred to Leopardstown in 2002. It has continued at this venue with one exception, a temporary return to the Curragh in 2009.
Records Most successful horse since 1946 (2 wins): Spring Offensive – 1946, 1947 White Gloves – 1966, 1967 Rarity – 1970, 1971
Leading jockey since 1950 (8 wins): Christy Roche – Rarity (1971), Mistigri (1975), More So (1978), Anfield (1982), Teleprompter (1984), Totem (1988), Star of Gdansk (1991), Second Empire (1998)
Leading trainer since 1950 (12 wins): Vincent O'Brien – Restless Knight (1964), Reindeer (1969), Boucher (1972), Hail the Pirates (1973), Sir Penfro (1974), Niebo (1976), Be My Guest (1977), Belted Earl (1981), Sunstart (1985), Wise Counsellor (1986), Entitled (1987), Via Borghese (1992)
Winners since 1976 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Time 1976 Niebo 3 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien 1977 Be My Guest 3 Tommy Murphy Vincent O'Brien 1:40.80 1978 More So 3 Christy Roche Paddy Prendergast 1979 Spence Bay 4 Tony Murray Seamus McGrath 1980 My Hollow 5 Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger 1981 Belted Earl 3 Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1982 Anfield 3 Christy Roche David O'Brien 1983 Erins Hope 4 Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger 1984 Teleprompter 4 Christy Roche Bill Watts 1985 Sunstart 3 Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1986 Wise Counsellor 3 Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1:40.70 1987 Entitled 3 Cash Asmussen Vincent O'Brien 1:37.30 1988 Totem 3 Christy Roche David O'Brien 1:49.00 1989 Llyn Gwynant 4 Declan Gillespie John Dunlop 1:34.30 1990 Kostroma 4 Stephen Craine Tommy Stack 1:37.30 1991 Star of Gdansk 3 Christy Roche Jim Bolger 1:36.30 1992 Via Borghese 3 Willie Carson Vincent O'Brien 1:41.00 1993 Asema 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:46.20 1994 Bin Ajwaad 4 Lester Piggott Ben Hanbury 1:36.40 1995 Mr Martini 5 Brett Doyle Clive Brittain 1:37.10 1996 Idris 6 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:38.40 1997 Swift Gulliver 3 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:38.80 1998 Second Empire 3 Christy Roche Aidan O'Brien 1:35.60 1999 Haami 4 John Reid John Dunlop 1:40.40 2000 Golden Silca 4 Johnny Murtagh Mick Channon 1:41.70 2001 Hawkeye 3 Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien 1:45.20 2002 Dress to Thrill 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:38.80 2003 Refuse to Bend 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:37.30 2004 Ace 3 Jamie Spencer Aidan O'Brien 1:37.30 2005 Caradak 4 Michael Kinane John Oxx 1:38.30 2006 King Jock 5 Pat Shanahan Robbie Osborne 1:40.80 2007 She's Our Mark 3 Danny Grant Pat Flynn 1:42.69 2008 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:44.32 2009 Famous Name 4 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:42.79 2010 Beethoven 3 Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien 1:39.52 2011 Future Generation 3 Keagan Latham Ger Lyons 1:39.91 2012 Duntle 3 Wayne Lordan David Wachman 1:46.26 2013 Gordon Lord Byron 5 Johnny Murtagh Tom Hogan 1:38.74 2014 Custom Cut 5 Daniel Tudhope David O'Meara 1:43.10 2015 Cougar Mountain 4 Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien 1:41.87 2016 Tribal Beat 3 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:41.90 2017 Alexios Komnenos 3 Chris Hayes Fozzy Stack 1:43.98 2018 Pincheck 4 Colm O'Donoghue Jessica Harrington 1:41.36 2019 Madhmoon 3 Chris Hayes Kevin Prendergast 1:42.01 2020 Royal Dornoch 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 1:41.86 2021 Create Belief 3 Shane Kelly Johnny Murtagh 1:43.92 2022 Boundless Ocean 3 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:42.14 2023 Lord Massusus 3 Garry Carroll Joseph G Murphy 1:40.61 2024 Mutasarref 6 Colin Keane Ger Lyons 1:40.48 2025 Johan 8 Ronan Whelan Jack Channon 1:39.67 2026 Isaac Newton 3 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:38.11
Earlier winners
1946: Spring Offensive 1947: Spring Offensive 1948: Straight Flush 1949: Pink Larkspur 1950: Galatian 1951: Fair Contract 1952: Tipots 1953: Clonleason 1954: Zarathustra 1955: Midontrial 1956: Jongleur 1957: Bindy 1958: Ticklish 1959: Light Horseman 1960: Barclay 1961: Baynard 1962: Sicilian Prince 1963: Wily Trout 1964: Restless Knight 1965: Khalife 1966: White Gloves 1967: White Gloves 1968: Giolla Mear 1969: Reindeer 1970: Rarity 1971: Rarity 1972: Boucher 1973: Hail the Pirates 1974: Sir Penfro 1975: Mistigri
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races
References Paris-Turf: , , , , Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , galopp-sieger.de – Desmond Stakes. ifhaoneline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Desmond Stakes (2019). irishracinggreats.com – Desmond Stakes (Group 3). pedigreequery.com – Desmond Stakes.