The Munster Oaks is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Cork over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.
History The race was established in 2003 at Naas and was titled the Noblesse Stakes after Noblesse, a successful Irish-trained filly whose victories included The Oaks in 1963. It was originally classed at Listed level, and the first running was restricted to three-year-olds.
The Noblesse Stakes was promoted to Group 3 status and opened to older fillies and mares in 2004. It was transferred to Cork in 2005 and renamed the Munster Oaks in 2014. The title Noblesse Stakes is now given to a similar race run at Cork in April.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Grace O'Malley – 2009, 2010 Rosscarbery - 2022, 2023
Leading jockey (3 wins): Kevin Manning – Snippets (2003), Danelissima (2004), Banimpire (2011) Pat Smullen – Grace O'Malley (2009, 2010), Sapphire (2012) Billy Lee - Santa Monica (2017), Rosscarbery (2022, 2023)
Leading trainer (6 wins):
Aidan O'Brien - Ice Queen (2008), Venus De Milo (2014), Words (2015), Pretty Perfect (2016), Flattering (2018), Snow (2020)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Time 2003 Snippets 3 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 2:31.20 2004 Danelissima 3 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 2:30.40 2005 Right Key 3 Declan McDonogh Kevin Prendergast 2:35.80 2006 Sina Cova 4 Johnny Murtagh Peter Casey 2:32.70 2007 Nick's Nikita 4 Rory Cleary Michael Halford 2:29.60 2008 Ice Queen 3 Colm O'Donoghue Aidan O'Brien 2:35.29 2009 Grace O'Malley 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 2:29.97 2010 Grace O'Malley 4 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 2:35.70 2011 Banimpire 3 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 2:37.80 2012 Sapphire 4 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 2:35.90 2013 Midnight Soprano 6 Marc Monaghan Paul Deegan 2:40.81 2014 Venus De Milo 4 Joseph O'Brien Aidan O'Brien 2:32.75 2015 Words 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 2:39.82 2016 Pretty Perfect 3 Colm O'Donoghue Aidan O'Brien 2:36.09 2017 Santa Monica 4 Billy Lee Charles O'Brien 2:33.83 2018 Flattering 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 2:33.83 2019 Who's Steph 4 Colin Keane Ger Lyons 2:38.50 2020 Snow 3 Wayne Lordan Aidan O'Brien 2:36.41 2021 Thunder Kiss 4 Colin Keane Ger Lyons 2:39.96 2022 Rosscarbery 4 Billy Lee Paddy Twomey 2:36.95 2023 Rosscarbery 5 Billy Lee Paddy Twomey 2:37.31 2024 Sumiha 4 Chris Hayes Dermot Weld 2:33.57 2025 Magical Hope 4 Colin Keane Paddy Twomey 2:36.29 2026 Sparan Nua 3 Nathan Crosse Jim Bolger 2:36.07
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , galopp-sieger.de – Noblesse Stakes. ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Munster Oaks Stakes (2019). pedigreequery.com – Noblesse Stakes.