The Sapphire Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.
The event was established in 2001, and it was originally classed at Listed level. For several years it was registered as the Richard H. Faught Memorial Stakes. It was renamed the Sapphire Stakes and promoted to Group 3 status in 2008. It was raised to Group 2 level in 2015.
The Sapphire Stakes was originally part of the Curragh's three-day Irish Derby Festival meeting. In 2015 it was moved to the Irish Oaks meeting and it is currently held on the second day, the day after the Irish Oaks.
Records
Most successful horse (2 wins): Benbaun – 2005, 2009
Leading jockey (3 wins): Johnny Murtagh – Deportivo (2003), Snaefell (2007), Definightly (2012)
Leading trainer (2 wins): Michael Halford – Snaefell (2007), Invincible Ash (2011) Roger Charlton - Deportivo (2003), Definightly (2012)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Time 2001 Repertory 8 Fergus Sweeney Malcolm Saunders 0:59.40 2002 Tiger Royal 6 Pat Shanahan Dermot Weld 0:59.80 2003 Deportivo 3 Johnny Murtagh Roger Charlton 0:59.70 2004 Osterhase 5 Fran Berry John Mulhern 0:57.30 2005 Benbaun 4 Kieren Fallon Mark Wallace 0:57.40 2006 Dandy Man 3 Pat Shanahan Con Collins 0:58.40 2007 Snaefell 3 Johnny Murtagh Michael Halford 1:02.90 2008 Tax Free 6 Adrian Nicholls David Nicholls 0:59.03 2009 Benbaun 8 Pat Smullen Kevin Ryan 1:00.03 2010 Glamorous Spirit 4 Kieren Fallon Ron Harris 0:57.85 2011 Invincible Ash 6 Gary Carroll Michael Halford 1:00.13 2012 Definightly 6 Johnny Murtagh Roger Charlton 1:02.13 2013 Slade Power 4 Wayne Lordan Edward Lynam 0:57.51 2014 Fountain Of Youth 3 Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien 0:59.01 2015 Stepper Point 6 Pat Smullen William Muir 0:58.75 2016 Mecca's Angel 5 Paul Mulrennan Michael Dods 0:58.61 2017 Caspian Prince 8 Declan McDonogh Tony Coyle 0:57.15 2018 Havana Grey 3 P. J. McDonald Karl Burke 0:58.21 2019 Soffia 4 Declan McDonogh Edward Lynam 0:58.51 2020 A’Ali 3 Colin Keane Simon & Ed Crisford 0:59.85 2021 Mooneista 3 Colin Keane Jack W Davison 0:58.75 2022 Ladies Church 3 Ben Coen Johnny Murtagh 1:00.86 2023 Art Power 6 David Allan Tim Easterby 1:00.92 2024 Believing 4 Ryan Moore George Boughey 0:57.96 2025 Arizona Blaze 3 David Egan Adrian Murray 0:58.36 2026 Cover Up 6 James Doyle Simon & Ed Crisford 0:57.35
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish flat horse races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , galopp-sieger.de – Sapphire Stakes. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Sapphire Stakes (2018).