The Pretty Polly Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,012 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.

History The event is named after Pretty Polly, a successful filly foaled in Ireland in 1901. It was originally restricted to fillies aged three, but it was later opened to older horses. For a period it was classed at Group 2 level, and it was promoted to Group 1 status in 2004.

The Pretty Polly Stakes was part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series from 2009 to 2012. The winner earned an automatic invitation to compete in the same year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Dance Design – 1996, 1997 Alexander Goldrun – 2005, 2006

Leading jockey since 1950 (3 wins): Liam Ward – Atlantida (1956), Iskereen (1967), Rimark (1968) Bill Williamson – Icy Look (1961), Hibernia (1963), Pidget (1972) Johnny Roe – Place d'Etoile (1970), Hurry Harriet (1973), Miss Toshiba (1975) Lester Piggott – Mariel (1971), Godetia (1979), Calandra (1980) Christy Roche – Alydar's Best (1985), Fleur Royale (1986), Noora Abu (1989) Michael Kinane – Market Booster (1992), Dance Design (1996, 1997) Seamie Heffernan - Misty For Me (2011), Diamondsandrubies (2015), Magical (2020)

Leading trainer since 1950 (7 wins): Vincent O'Brien – Little Mo (1959), Ancasta (1964), Iskereen (1967), Rimark (1968), Godetia (1979), Calandra (1980), Dark Lomond (1988)

Leading owner since 1978 (5 wins) includes joint wins:

Susan Magnier - Peeping Fawn (2007), Misty For Me (2011), Diamondsandrubies (2015), Minding (2016), Magical (2020)

Winners since 1978 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1978 Jinkitis 3 Dermot Hogan Stephen Quirke W. Fennin 2:10.00 1979 Godetia 3 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 2:04.80 1980 Calandra 3 Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 2:13.50 1981 Happy Bride 3 Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger Mrs E. McMahon 2:06.90 1982 Prince's Polly 3 Wally Swinburn Dermot Weld Kerry Fitzpatrick 1983 Flame of Tara 3 Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger Patricia O'Kelly 2:05.70 1984 Princess Pati 3 Pat Shanahan Con Collins Meg Mullion 2:12.10 1985 Alydar's Best 3 Christy Roche David O'Brien Alan Clore 1986 Fleur Royale 3 Christy Roche David O'Brien Stavros Niarchos 1987 Bint Pasha 3 Richard Quinn Paul Cole Fahd Salman 2:12.10 1988 Dark Lomond 3 John Reid Vincent O'Brien Stavros Niarchos 2:07.50 1989 Noora Abu 7 Christy Roche Jim Bolger Catherine Shubotham 2:10.20 1990 Game Plan 3 Basil Marcus Clive Brittain Mrs Harold Phillips 2:06.80 1991 Ruby Tiger 4 Richard Quinn Paul Cole Mrs Philip Blacker 2:10.60 1992 Market Booster 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld Moyglare Stud Farm 2:00.60 1993 Takarouna 3 Johnny Murtagh John Oxx HH Aga Khan IV 2:06.00 1994 Del Deya 4 Frankie Dettori John Gosden Ahmed Al Maktoum 2:10.70 1995 Flagbird 4 Cash Asmussen Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 2:07.10 1996 Dance Design 3 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld Moyglare Stud Farm 2:04.20 1997 Dance Design 4 Michael Kinane Dermot Weld Moyglare Stud Farm 2:09.00 1998 Alborada 3 George Duffield Sir Mark Prescott Kirsten Rausing 2:25.60 1999 Polaire 3 Declan McDonogh Kevin Prendergast Jim Halligan 2:05.10 2000 Lady Upstage 3 Michael Hills Barry Hills Bunny Roberts 2:07.70 2001 Rebelline 3 Declan McDonogh Kevin Prendergast Lady O'Reilly 2:08.60 2002 Tarfshi 4 Philip Robinson Michael Jarvis Ahmed Al Maktoum 2:04.60 2003 Hanami 3 Christophe Soumillon James Toller G. B. Partnership 2:05.30 2004 Chorist 5 Darryll Holland William Haggas Cheveley Park Stud 2:02.80 2005 Alexander Goldrun 4 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger Miriam O'Callaghan 2:05.70 2006 Alexander Goldrun 5 Kevin Manning Jim Bolger Miriam O'Callaghan 2:04.80 2007 Peeping Fawn 3 Kieren Fallon Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Magnier 2:10.63 2008 Promising Lead 4 Ryan Moore Sir Michael Stoute Khalid Abdullah 2:06.82 2009 Dar Re Mi 4 Jimmy Fortune John Gosden Lord Lloyd-Webber 2:14.04 2010 Chinese White 5 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld Lady O'Reilly 2:03.84 2011 Misty for Me 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Magnier / Smith 2:13.37 2012 Izzi Top 4 William Buick John Gosden Helena Springfield Ltd 2:15.05 2013 Ambivalent 4 Johnny Murtagh Roger Varian Ali Saeed 2:04.83 2014 Thistle Bird 6 George Baker Roger Charlton Lady Rothschild 2:05.58 2015 Diamondsandrubies 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien Roisin Henry & Sue Magnier 2:07.38 2016 Minding 3 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Magnier / Smith 2:09.94 2017 Nezwaah 4 Andrea Atzeni Roger Varian Ahmed Al Maktoum 2:06.19 2018 Urban Fox 4 Daniel Tudhope William Haggas Barnane Stud Ltd 2:06.98 2019 Iridessa 3 Wayne Lordan Joseph O'Brien Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez 2:06.46 2020 Magical 5 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien Smith / Magnier / Tabor 2:12.29 2021 Thundering Nights 4 Shane Crosse Joseph O'Brien Shapoor Mistry 2:08.72 2022 La Petite Coco 4 Billy Lee Paddy Twomey Team Valor 2:13.86 2023 Via Sistina 5 Jamie Spencer George Boughey Mrs R G Hillen 2:06.17 2024 Bluestocking 4 Rossa Ryan Ralph Beckett Juddmonte 2:10.90 2025 Whirl 3 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Magnier / Smith 2:04.95 2026 Estrange 5 Daniel Tudhope David O'Meara Cheveley Park Stud 2:02.89

Earlier winners

1948: Cobaltic 1949: Circus Lady 1950: Lonely Maid 1951: Ash Plant 1952: Nashua 1953: Northern Gleam 1954: Belle Collette 1955: Free Model 1956: Atlantida 1957: After the Show 1958: Owenello 1959: Little Mo 1960: Young Empress 1961: Icy Look 1962: Tropic Star 1963: Hibernia 1964: Ancasta 1965: Messene 1966: Black Gold 1967: Iskereen 1968: Rimark 1969: Borana 1970: Place d'Etoile 1971: Mariel 1972: Pidget 1973: Hurry Harriet 1974: Northern Gem 1975: Miss Toshiba 1976: Lady Singer 1977: Claire's Slipper

See also Pretty Polly Stakes (Great Britain) Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races

References

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galopp-sieger.de – Pretty Polly Stakes. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Pretty Polly Stakes (2018). irishracinggreats.com – Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1). pedigreequery.com – Pretty Polly Stakes – Curragh.