Leopardstown Racecourse

Marc Chan's homebred G2 Golden Fleece Stakes winner Green Impact (Wootton Bassett), who defeated G1 Derby favourite Delacroix twice last year, went postward for Thursday evening's Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown returning off a G1 2000 Guineas sixth and bounced back in style to claim a second black-type success in the nine-furlong contest. The 11-8 favourite asserted for an early advantage and set an even tempo through halfway. Holding sway throughout, he was driven to subdue TDN Rising Star Azada (Siyouni) approaching the final furlong and...

Just minutes after stablemate Henri Matisse (Wootton Bassett) secured G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains glory in France, Aidan O'Brien nominee and TDN Rising Star Delacroix (Dubawi) laid his Classic credentials on the line in Leopardstown's G3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes and passed with flying colours, registering a 2 3/4-length triumph in the 10-furlong test. Last seen annexing March's G3 Ballysax Stakes over the Foxrock venue's same mile-and-a-quarter strip, the 1-3 favourite accepted a tow from stablemate Rock Of Cashel (Wootton Bassett) and raced second after breaking on the...

Vicki Donlon has been appointed interim CEO of Leopardstown Racecourse, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) announced on Thursday. Donlon rejoins the team at Leopardstown with immediate effect as the process continues to find a permanent replacement for Tim Husbands, who steps down this week after five years in the role. Having joined HRI when appointed commercial & marketing manager at Leopardstown in 2015, Donlon has led the commercial brief for HRI's Racecourse Division for the last four years, working with Leopardstown, Fairyhouse, Navan and Tipperary. Paul Dermody, CEO of HRI Racecourses,...

Cashel Palace Hotel has extended its sponsorship of the G3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes for three years, Leopardstown Racecourse announced on Thursday. The 2025 edition, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 11, will also offer an increased prize fund of €100,000. Paul Dermody, CEO of HRI Racecourses, said, "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with a quality brand such as Cashel Palace Hotel and the support they have committed to the Derby Trial Stakes running through to 2027 is very significant. "This important race...

There will be a significant increase in prize-money for Group 3 and listed races, handicaps, and juvenile maidens during the 2025 Leopardstown Flat season, the racecourse announced on Thursday. Each of the 16 Group 3 races at the course will see their value rise to a minimum of €60,000 while overall prize-money for the course's eight listed races increases to €45,000. A guaranteed minimum value has been confirmed for each of the five new handicap bands with all 2-year-old maiden races rising to ensure a minimum prize fund of €20,000...

Coolmore's 2023 Goffs Orby Book 1 sale topper Minnie Hauk (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Multilingual {GB}, by Dansili {GB}), a €1.85-million purchase, followed up a debut second at Cork earlier this month with a breakthrough score in Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over one mile at Leopardstown. 1st-Leopardstown, €18,000, Mdn, 10-19, 2yo, 8fT, 1:47.10, sf. MINNIE HAUK (IRE) (f, 2, Frankel {GB}--Multilingual {GB}, by Dansili {GB}), the Goffs Orby Book 1 sale topper when knocked down for €1.85-million last year who registered a debut second at Cork earlier this month,...

Newtown Anner Stud's Chantez (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Lady Lara {Ire}, by Excellent Art {GB}) fired the opening salvo on Irish Champions Weekend with a dominant, albeit wayward, victory in Saturday's Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown. The 220,000gns October Book 1 graduate, who posted a three-length maiden victory over the same seven-furlong strip in her second outing last month, broke well from an outer gate and tracked the leaders in third through halfway. Taking closer order off the home turn, the 6-5 favourite quickened to the fore...

Last year's renewal of Leopardstown's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden was garnered by subsequent G3 Gallinule Stakes victor Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Thursday's latest edition witnessed the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Adrian Murray trainee and G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes entry Hill Road (Quality Road--Exotic Notion, by Lemon Drop Kid). Hill Road, a $350,000 Keeneland September yearling who registered a May 27 Naas barrier-trial 'win' between missed engagements at the Curragh in May and June, broke well and raced in a handy third after the initial...

Over the next fortnight, board members of the Organization of Racing Investigators (ORI) will participate in a new exchange program, which features an intensive tour of hallowed racing sites in Ireland and England. "The new program is a continued effort by the ORI to exchange tradecraft and weigh how integrity is protected in different countries across the world," said ORI's immediate past chairman Jason Klouser. The small group, which includes Klouser, Tyler Durand, J.C. Jaramillo, Juan Estrada and David Duncan, will make stops at The Curragh, Leopardstown and Coolmore. Fellow...

Al Shira'aa Racing have been announced as the new sponsors of the race previously known as the Cornelscourt S., won in 2023 by the classy Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}). The G3 Al Shira'aa Racing 'Mutamakina' S., run over a mile for three-year-old fillies, will be held at Leopardstown Racecourse on Sunday, May 12. The race will be named after Al Shira'aa's high-class racemare Mutamakina (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). A Listed winner and Group 2-placed when trained in France by Carlos Laffon-Parias, Mutamakina later moved across the Atlantic to Christophe Clement for...

Meath jockey Siobhan Rutledge will be sponsored by Leopardstown Racecourse for the 2024 Flat season. Rutledge began her racing career in 2018 having graduated from the RACE Racing Academy. Riding predominantly for Stamullen-based trainer John McConnell, Rutledge has since clocked up a total of 73 career winners, notable winning the 2023 Connacht Oaks aboard Starry Heavens (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) for Jessica Harrington. "I'm delighted to announce my partnership with Leopardstown Racecourse," said Rutledge. "I'm incredibly grateful for this amazing sponsorship opportunity and I can't wait to represent their brand on...

Moyglare Stud's homebred Elizabeth Jane (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Sapphire {Ire}, by Medicean {GB}) sported her owner's second silks for Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden and made a mockery of 16-1 odds with a power-packed display, collecting a 'TDN Rising Star' badge, in the one mile distaffers' test. The March-foaled chestnut was off the tempo in rear for the most part and inched forward rounding the home turn. Nudged along at the top of the straight, she made relentess headway to gain an edge passing the furlong marker and scooted...