The Railway Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.
History The event was established in 1851, and it was originally contested over 6 furlongs. It was extended by 63 yards in 1897.
The race became known as the Railway Plate in 1946. It reverted to the title Railway Stakes in 1956. It was given Group 3 status in the early 1970s.
The Railway Stakes was shortened to 6 furlongs in 1984. It was promoted to Group 2 level in 2003. It is currently held on the same day as the Irish Derby.
Records
Leading jockey since 1950 (7 wins): Christy Roche – Misty Bend (1973), Tender Camilla (1974), Noble Shamus (1979), Anfield (1981), Armanasco (1989), Ivory Frontier (1992), King of Kings (1997)
Leading trainer since 1950 (15 wins): Aidan O'Brien - King of Kings (1997), Bernstein (1999), Honours List (2000), Rock of Gibraltar (2001), Hold That Tiger (2002), Antonius Pius (2003), George Washington (2005), Holy Roman Emperor (2006), Lizard Island (2007), Mastercraftsman (2008), Alfred Nobel (2009), Painted Cliffs (2015), Van Beethoven (2018), Henri Matisse (2024), True Love (2025)
Winners since 1980 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Time 1980 Lawmaker Tommy Murphy Vincent O'Brien 1981 Anfield Christy Roche David O'Brien 1982 Ancestral Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1983 El Gran Senor Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1:18.10 1984 Moscow Ballet Pat Eddery Vincent O'Brien 1985 Bermuda Classic Brent Thomson Paddy Mullins 1986 Polonia Declan Gillespie Jim Bolger 1987 Flutter Away Michael Kinane Dermot Weld 1:18.30 1988 Honoria Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:13.10 1989 Armanasco Christy Roche Jim Bolger 1:13.90 1990 Time Gentlemen Willie Carson John Dunlop 1:12.20 1991 El Prado Lester Piggott Vincent O'Brien 1:14.40 1992 Ivory Frontier Christy Roche Jim Bolger 1:13.70 1993 Polish Laughter Walter Swinburn Ben Hanbury 1:15.80 1994 Eva Luna (IRE) Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:14.20 1995 Flame of Athens John Reid Michael Grassick 1:12.80 1996 Daylight in Dubai John Reid Peter Chapple-Hyam 1:12.00 1997 King of Kings Christy Roche Aidan O'Brien 1:14.00 1998 Camargo Pat Smullen Dermot Weld 1:20.00 1999 Bernstein Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien 1:13.00 2000 Honours List Damien Oliver Aidan O'Brien 1:14.50 2001 Rock of Gibraltar Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien 1:14.40 2002 Hold That Tiger Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien 1:17.00 2003 Antonius Pius Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien 1:13.50 2004 Democratic Deficit Kevin Manning Jim Bolger 1:11.60 2005 George Washington Kieren Fallon Aidan O'Brien 1:13.10 2006 Holy Roman Emperor Kieren Fallon Aidan O'Brien 1:12.50 2007 Lizard Island Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 1:18.71 2008 Mastercraftsman Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien 1:13.32 2009 Alfred Nobel Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien 1:15.05 2010 Formosina Ryan Moore Jeremy Noseda 1:10.77 2011 Lilbourne Lad Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Sr. 1:13.56 2012 Probably Billy Lee David Wachman 1:17.24 2013 Sudirman Wayne Lordan David Wachman 1:11.73 2014 Kool Kompany Fran Berry Richard Hannon Jr. 1:12.60 2015 Painted Cliffs Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:13.29 2016 Medicine Jack Colin Keane Ger Lyons 1:13.20 2017 Beckford Declan McDonogh Gordon Elliott 1:11.71 2018 Van Beethoven Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:12.45 2019 Siskin Colin Keane Ger Lyons 1:13.02 2020 Laws of Indices Chris Hayes Ken Condon 1:14.49 2021 Go Bears Go Rossa Ryan David Loughnane 1:12.80 2022 Shartash Ben Coen Johnny Murtagh 1:14.44 2023 Bucanero Fuerte Rossa Ryan Adrian Murray 1:09.97 2024 Henri Matisse Wayne Lordan Aidan O'Brien 1:11.72 2025 True Love Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien 1:13.39 2026 Celeron Oisin Murphy Michael O'Callaghan 1:11.58
Earlier winners
1851: Indian Warrior 1852: no race 1853: Ariadne 1854: no race 1855: Fireblast 1856: Blight 1857: Darling 1858: Drogheda 1859: Glory 1860: The Lawyer 1861: Socrates 1862: The Plover 1863: Union Jack 1864: Zisca 1865: Monitor 1866: Master Willie 1867: Uncas 1868: Melody 1869: Sarsfield 1870: Richard the First 1871: Maid of Perth 1872: Queen of the Bees 1873: Lady Patricia 1874: Wild Duck 1875: Maelstrom 1876: Mayfield 1877: Athy 1878: Shinglass 1879: Sibyl 1880: Barcaldine 1881: Melliflor 1882: Peace 1883: Grecian Bend 1884: Kilcreene 1885: Ashplant 1886: Kildare 1887: May Moon 1888: St Kieran 1889: Meliboeus 1890: Eyrefield 1891: Christabel 1892: Baccarat 1893: Gazetteer 1894: Angelus 1895: Winkfield's Pride 1896: General Peace 1897: Sabine Queen 1898: Oppressor 1899: Rapine 1900: Gogo 1901: St Brendan 1902: Fariman 1903: Jean's Folly 1904: Sir Daniel 1905: Juliet 1906: Electric Rose 1907: Twenty-Third 1908: Bachelor's Double 1909: Trepida 1910: Cigar 1911: Simon Lass 1912: Flax Meadow 1913: King's Common 1914: no race 1915: Shining More 1916: Durazzo 1917: Lady Earn 1918: Confey 1919: Blue Dun 1920: Shanganagh 1921: Rachel 1922: Darragh 1923: Vesington Star 1924: Capture Him 1925: Silver Lark 1926: Lavengro 1927: Cardinal's Ring 1928: Soloptic 1929: Confetti 1930: Sea Serpent 1931: Rathlin Isle 1932: Song of the Hills 1933: Kyloe 1934: Poor Jack 1935: Hocus Pocus 1936: Burdock 1937: Rosewell 1938: Bessbrook 1939: Monster Light 1940: Milady Rose 1941: Windsor Slipper 1942: Fabulous 1943: Arctic Sun 1944: Knight's Emblem 1945: Linaria 1946: Dublin Town 1947: Asylum 1948: Fair Edwine 1949: Monseigneur 1950: Ralootown 1951: Stackallen Bridge 1952: Legend of Confey 1953: Tale of Two Cities 1954: Hugh Lupus 1955: Closed Shop 1956: Katty's Star 1957: Vestogan 1958: Princess Marie 1959: Le Levanstell 1960: Travel Light 1961: Gay Challenger 1962: Turbo Jet 1963: Mesopotamia 1964: Ga-Greine 1965: Glad Rags 1966: Adrian's Path 1967: Sans-Fin 1968: Sahib 1969: Nijinsky 1970: Minsky 1971: Open Season 1972: Park Lawn 1973: Misty Bend 1974: Tender Camilla 1975: Niebo 1976: Brahms 1977: Thunor 1978: Solar 1979: Noble Shamus
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races
References Paris-Turf: , , , , , Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
galopp-sieger.de – Railway Stakes. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Railway Stakes (2018). irishracinggreats.com – Railway Stakes (Group 2). pedigreequery.com – Railway Stakes – Curragh. tbheritage.com – Railway Stakes.