The Ridgewood Pearl Stakes, also known as the Lanwades Stud Stakes, is a Group 2 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged four years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.
The event's registered title honours Ridgewood Pearl, a successful Irish-trained filly in the mid 1990s. Ridgewood Pearl died in 2003, and the title was first used for that year's running of a race now called the Renaissance Stakes. The present Ridgewood Pearl Stakes was established in 2004, and it initially held Group 2 status. It was downgraded to Group 3 level in 2007 and returned to Group 2 status in 2015.
The race was sponsored by TRI Equestrian from 2009 to 2012, and was referred to as the TRI Equestrian Stakes. In 2013 it was renamed the Abu Dhabi Stakes and in 2014 the sponsorship was taken over by Lanwades Stud. It is held on the same afternoon as the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Emulous - 2011, 2012
Leading jockey (6 wins): Billy Lee - Devonshire (2016), Epona Plays (2021), Pearls Galore (2022), Just Beautiful (2023), Ocean Jewel (2024), City Of Memphis (2026)
Leading trainer (3 wins): Dermot Weld - Emulous (2011, 2012), Brooch (2015) Willie McCreery - Devonshire (2016), Epona Plays (2021), Ocean Jewel (2024) Paddy Twomey - Pearls Galore (2022), Just Beautiful (2023), City Of Memphis (2026)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Time 2004 Soviet Song 4 Johnny Murtagh James Fanshawe 1:39.50 2005 Airwave 5 Kieren Fallon Aidan O'Brien 1:41.60 2006 Pout 4 Danny Grant John Joseph Murphy 1:52.10 2007 Cheyenne Star 4 Pat Smullen Frances Crowley 1:38.70 2008 Grecian Dancer 5 Fran Berry Charles O'Brien 1:39.69 2009 Emily Blake 5 Johnny Murtagh John Hayden 1:47.61 2010 Shamwari Lodge 4 Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:41.35 2011 Emulous 4 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:38.95 2012 Emulous 5 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:41.20 2013 Chigun 4 Tom Queally Sir Henry Cecil 1:37.78 2014 Purr Along 4 Jamie Spencer Johnny Murtagh 1:47.55 2015 Brooch 4 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:39.65 2016 Devonshire 4 Billy Lee Willie McCreery 1:46.20 2017 Creggs Pipes 5 Declan McDonogh Andrew Slattery 1:41.16 2018 Opal Tiara 5 Ronan Whelan Mick Channon 1:39.24 2019 Beshaayir 4 Frankie Dettori William Haggas 1:37.06 2020 Magic Wand 5 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 1:38.17 2021 Epona Plays 4 Billy Lee Willie McCreery 1:42.56 2022 Pearls Galore 5 Billy Lee Paddy Twomey 1:39.62 2023 Just Beautiful 5 Billy Lee Paddy Twomey 1:39.61 2024 Ocean Jewel 4 Billy Lee Willie McCreery 1:40.93 2025 Porta Fortuna 4 Ryan Moore Donnacha O'Brien 1:35.11 2026 City Of Memphis 4 Billy Lee Paddy Twomey 1:36.51
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
galopp-sieger.de – Ridgewood Pearl Stakes. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Ridgewood Pearl Stakes (2018). pedigreequery.com – Ridgewood Pearl Stakes – Curragh.