Horse Racing Links
- Want your site listed here? Contact Us.
Irish 2,000 Guineas
The Irish 2,000 Guineas is first leg of the Irish Triple Crown series, completed by the Irish Derby and the Irish St. Leger Stakes. The series is modelled on the original Triple Crown hosted in England and has become just as popular as the English counterpart.
The race is hosted annually in May at Curragh Racecourse and is open to thoroughbred colts and fillies aged three. It runs over the distance of one mile and awards a purse of €400,000. The Irish 2,000 Guineas were introduced in 1921, one year before the inauguration of the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the equivalent race open only to three-year-old fillies.
Today the Irish 2,000 Guineas is an internationally acclaimed event, followed all over the world and including thoroughbreds from the finest international stables. Contenders who have done well in the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, the English equivalent of the Irish race, often go on to compete in the event at the Curragh; in the race's history seven 2,000 Guineas Stakes runners have recorded victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
By the same token, runners who do well in the Irish 2,000 Guineas are likely to go on to compete in the St. James's Palace Stakes at the Royal Ascot Festival in June. This shows that the Irish 2,000 Guineas have truly become an important event in any Group 1 race horse's three-year-old season; in fact a win at this race is now considered just as prestigious as a victory in an English equivalent.
Irish horse training icon Aidan O'Brien is currently holding the title of most successful trainer at the Irish 2,000 Guineas Stakes after training six winners of the event, most recently the fantastic runner Canford Cliffs, who incidentally went on to win the St. James's Palace Stakes at the 2010 Royal Ascot Festival.
Recent Winners of the Irish 2,000 Guineas:
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
2010 |
Canford Cliffs |
Richard Hughes |
Richard Hannon |
1:37.64 |
2009 |
Master- |
Johnny Murtagh |
Aidan O'Brien |
1:48.16 |
2008 |
Henrythe- |
Johnny Murtagh |
Aidan O'Brien |
1:39.63 |
2007 |
Cockney Rebel |
Olivier Peslier |
Geoff Huffer |
1:36.10 |
2006 |
Araafa |
Alan Munro |
Jeremy Noseda |
1:49.80 |
2005 |
Dubawi |
Frankie Dettori |
Saeed Bin Suroor |
1:41.60 |
Irish 2,000 Guineas Odds and News
22 May 2013: Al Kazeem to face Camelot in Tattersalls Gold Cup
Al Kazeem and Camelot are set to do battle in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at Curragh on Sunday.
Al Kazeem will be making his debut at the highest level of racing on Sunday and trainer Roger Charlton was full of confidence after the classy five-year-old sparkled at track work yesterday.
“Al Kazeem worked impressively with his lead horse over seven furlongs yesterday and he remains an intended runner at the Curragh on Sunday, where he is likely to meet up with the mighty Camelot in the Tattersalls Gold Cup,” Charlton wrote on his website yesterday.
The son of Dubawi resumed with a comfortable victory over Thomas Chippendale in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes last month and has finished in the top two in all but one of his nine race starts.
Camelot made his first appearance at the track, since his bout of colic, with a comfortable victory in the Mooresbridge Stakes a fortnight ago.
The Montjeu four-year-old is undefeated at three starts at Curragh after winning the Irish Derby at the famous track last year.
Aidan O’Brien has a strong hand in the 2013 Tattersalls Gold Cup with El Salvador, Ernest Hemingway, Windsor Palace and Was joining Camelot in the race.
2012 Investec Oaks winner Was will return to the races for the first time since the 2012 British Champions Fillies’ and Mares Stakes in October while Dermot Weld-trained Princess Highway is expected to back up from her disappointing performance in the Blue Wind Stakes last week.
In the other major races set to take place at Curragh this weekend Charles Hill-trained Just The Judge remains a slight favourite in the Irish 1000 Guineas betting market at 
Bet365.
In the Irish 2000 Guineas betting market O’Brien-trained Cristoforo Colombo is a narrow favourite from Van Der Neer, Fort Knox and Gale Force Ten.
You can find the best odds for every race in Curragh this weekend at Bet365.
20 May 2010: Irish 2,000 Guineas – O’Brien’s Stable Picnic
