Christmas Day (foaled 22 February 2023) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He took victories in the Group 3 Eyrefield Stakes and Ballysax Stakes before taking victory in the Derby in 2026.
Background Christmas Day is a bay colt bred in Ireland by Framont Ltd. He is owned by a partnership of owners consisting of Magnier, Smith, Tabor, Westerberg and Brant. He is trained by Aidan O'Brien.
Christmas Day is sired by Camelot, a winner of two legs of the English Triple Crown. His dam is Beauly, who is a daughter of the highly successful Sea the Stars.
Career 2025: two-year-old season Christmas Day made his racing debut on 2 August 2025 at Gallway in a 1-mile & 73 yard race, where he finished in third. His next race was another maiden race at a distance of 1 mile & 1 furlong, this time at Tipperary on 31 August. Christmas Day finished only fifth in a field of 12. His next race was a 1-mile race at Gowran Park on 20 September. In heavy going, he took his first race win.
Christmas Day's first significant stakes entry was at the Group-3 Eyrefield Stakes. Christmas Day went of with 13/2 SP and charged to the lead in the final furlong to take his first major win.
2026: three-year-old season After being rested for the winter, Christmas Day returned to racing in April 2026 at the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes. He once again pushed into the lead in the final furlong to take another race victory. In May, he was entered into the Dante Stakes, marking his first race start outside of Ireland. He finished third.
Christmas Day was next entered into the Derby, marking the most significant start of his career. He entered with 7/1 SP. In soft conditions and driving rain, he was taken to victory by lengths. The win was a record-extending 15th Derby win for trainer Aidan O'Brien but the first for his jockey Ronan Whelan Christmas Day next ran in the Irish Derby, where he finished second, being defeated by his stablemate Benvenuto Cellini.
Statistics Racing form based on Racing Post. Date Distance Race Grade/Group Track Odds Field Finish WinningTime Winning(Losing)Margin Winner(2nd place) Jockey Ref2025 – two-year-old season 1m 73y Maiden Galway 11/2 9 1:48.69 ( lengths) Action 1m 1f Maiden Tipperary 5/1 12 5th 2:01.35 ( lengths) Endorsement 1m Maiden Gowran Park 6/4* 9 1:46.48 length (Hedjet) 1m 1f Eyrefield Stakes III Leopardstown 13/2 8 1:56.71 Short head (A Boy Named Susie) 2026 – three-year-old season 1m 2f Ballysax Stakes III Leopardstown 11/1 9 2:12.76 length (Endorsement) 1m 2f 56y Dante Stakes II York 11/4* 8 2:10.80 ( lengths) Item 1m 4f 6y Epsom Derby I Epsom Downs 7/1 14 2:43.75 lengths (Maltese Cross) 1m 4f Irish Derby I The Curragh 4/1 8 2:28.33 ( lengths) Benvenuto Cellini 1m 3f 188y Great Voltigeur Stakes II York 9/4 6 2:32.04 ( lengths) Maltese Cross
Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Christmas Day was the post-time favourite.
Pedigree
References