Leopardstown Derby Trial

For the race currently known as Nijinsky Stakes, see Nijinsky Stakes (Ireland).

The Leopardstown Derby Trial, currently run as the Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial, is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,012 metres) at Leopardstown in May.

Leopardstown Derby Trial

Class	Group 3
Location	Leopardstown County Dublin, Ireland
Inaugurated	1971
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor	Cashel Palace Hotel
Website	Leopardstown.com
Race information
Distance	1m 2f (2,012 metres)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds
Weight	9 st 5 lb Allowances 3 lb for fillies
Purse	€80,000 (2024) 1st: €47,200

Leopardstown Derby Trial Stakes

2023
Sprewell	Up And Under	Proud And Regal

Previous years
2022
Stone Age	Glory Daze	French Claim
2021
Bolshoi Ballet	Lough Derg	Fernando Vichi

2020-2011
2020
Cormorant	Russian Emperor	Iberia
2019
Broome	Blenheim Palace	Sovereign
2018
Hazapour	Delano Roosevelt	The Pentagon
2017
Douglas Macarthur	Yucatan	Capri
2016
Moonlight Magic	Shogun	Idaho
2015
Success Days	Summaya	Carbon Dating
2014
Fascinating Rock	Ebanoran	Geoffrey Chaucer
2013
Battle Of Marengo	Loch Garman	Little White Cloud
2012
Light Heavy	Tower Rock	Wrote
2011
Recital	Memphis Tennessee	Regent Street

2010-2001
2010
Midas Touch	Address Unknown	At First Sight
2009
Fame And Glory	Mourayan	Fergus Mciver
2008
Casual Conquest	Washington Irving	Moiqen
2006
Dylan Thomas	Mountain	Youmzain
2005
Fracas	Alayan	Grand Central
2004
Yeats	Relaxed Gesture	Medicinal
2003
Alamshar	The Great Gatsby	Brian Boru
2002
High Chaparral	In Time's Eye	Surveyor
2001
Galileo	Exaltation	El Bueno

2000-1991
2000
Sinndar	Bach	Muakaad
1999
Port Bayou	Tchaikovsky	River Canyon
1998
Risk Material	Sunshine Street	Takarian
1997
Ashley Park	Casey Tibbs	Ebadiyla
1996
Truth Or Dare	Touch Judge	Ashbal
1995
Humbel	Shemaran	Johansson
1994
Artema	Cajarian	Bawardi
1993
Perfect Imposter	Advocat	Foresee
1992
St Jovite	Firing Line	Garabagh
1991
Runyon	George Augustus	Smooth Performance

1990-1988
1990
Anvari	Dovekie	Spinning
1989
Phantom Breeze	Upward Trend	Dail Eireann
1988
Kris Kringle	Maksud	Little Bighorn

History

Established in 1971, the event was originally called the Nijinsky Stakes. It was named after Nijinsky, the previous year's Irish-trained English Triple Crown winner.

For a period the Nijinsky Stakes held Group 2 status. It was open to older horses for several years from the mid-1970s.

The race was renamed the Derby Trial Stakes in 1984. From this point it was sponsored by Derrinstown Stud. It was downgraded to Group 3 level in the early 1990s, and promoted back to Group 2 in 2003. It was downgraded again to Group 3 status in 2014.^[1] Derrinstown Stud's sponsorship ended after the 2021 race and there was no sponsor in 2022 or 2023. Since 2024 the race has been sponsored by Cashel Palace Hotel.

The Derby Trial can serve as a trial for the Epsom Derby. The last horse to win both races was High Chaparral in 2002. The last winner to achieve victory in the Irish Derby was Los Angeles in 2024.

The title "Nijinsky Stakes" was later assigned to a different race at Leopardstown, a Listed event for three-year-olds in June which is now run as the King George V Cup.^[2]

Records

Leading jockey (8 wins):

• Christy Roche – Ballymore (1973), Noelino (1979), Toca Madera (1986), St Jovite (1992), Perfect Imposter (1993), Truth or Dare (1996), Ashley Park (1997), Risk Material (1998)

Leading trainer (17 wins):

• Aidan O'Brien – Risk Material (1998), Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Yeats (2004), Dylan Thomas (2006), Archipenko (2007), Fame and Glory (2009), Midas Touch (2010), Recital (2011), Battle of Marengo (2013), Douglas Macarthur (2017), Broome (2019), Cormorant (2020), Bolshoi Ballet (2021), Stone Age (2022), Los Angeles (2024), Delacroix (2025)

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Time
1971	Sea Friend	Buster Parnell	Paddy Prendergast	2:12.90
1972	Boucher	Johnny Roe	Vincent O'Brien	2:10.00
1973	Ballymore	Christy Roche	Paddy Prendergast
1974	Hail the Pirates	Lester Piggott	Vincent O'Brien
1975	Nuthatch	Wally Swinburn	John Oxx, Sr.	2:12.20
1976	Meneval	Lester Piggott	Vincent O'Brien
1977	Orchestra	Raymond Carroll	John Oxx, Sr.	2:15.20
1978	Slaney Idol	Wally Swinburn	Liam Browne
1979	Noelino	Christy Roche	Paddy Prendergast	2:20.50
1980	Ramian	Wally Swinburn	Dermot Weld
1981	Young Kildare	Michael Kinane	Liam Browne	2:18.90
1982	Golden Fleece	Pat Eddery	Vincent O'Brien	2:06.80
1983	Salmon Leap	Pat Eddery	Vincent O'Brien	2:20.70
1984	Sadler's Wells	George McGrath	Vincent O'Brien	2:11.50
1985	Theatrical	Michael Kinane	Dermot Weld	2:13.80
1986	Toca Madera	Christy Roche	Liam Browne
1987	Seattle Dancer	Cash Asmussen	Vincent O'Brien	2:07.90
1988	Kris Kringle	John Reid	Vincent O'Brien	2:11.20
1989	Phantom Breeze	Michael Kinane	Dermot Weld	2:09.60
1990	Anvari	Basil Marcus	Clive Brittain	2:03.40
1991	Runyonii	Stephen Craine	Tommy Stack	2:07.80
1992	St Jovite	Christy Roche	Jim Bolger	2:10.40
1993	Perfect Imposter	Christy Roche	Jim Bolger	2:07.90
1994	Artema	Michael Kinane	Dermot Weld	2:08.90
1995	Humbel	Michael Kinane	Dermot Weld	2:06.30
1996	Truth or Dare	Christy Roche	Charles O'Brien	2:05.00
1997	Ashley Park	Christy Roche	Charles O'Brien	2:15.30
1998	Risk Material	Christy Roche	Aidan O'Brien	2:06.90
1999	Port Bayou	Pat Shanahan	Dermot Weld	2:16.00
2000	Sinndar	Johnny Murtagh	John Oxx	2:04.90
2001	Galileo	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	2:08.50
2002	High Chaparral	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	2:03.50
2003	Alamshar	Johnny Murtagh	John Oxx	2:07.40
2004	Yeats	Jamie Spencer	Aidan O'Brien	2:10.30
2005	Fracas	Jamie Spencer	David Wachman	2:16.40
2006	Dylan Thomas	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	2:07.80
2007	Archipenko	Michael Kinane	Aidan O'Brien	2:07.90
2008	Casual Conquest	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	2:05.35
2009	Fame and Glory	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	2:03.62
2010	Midas Touch	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	2:02.54
2011	Recital	Kieren Fallon	Aidan O'Brien	2:04.09
2012	Light Heavy	Kevin Manning	Jim Bolger	2:11.50
2013	Battle of Marengo	Joseph O'Brien	Aidan O'Brien	2:07.79
2014	Fascinating Rock[a]	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	2:14.95
2015	Success Days	Shane Foley	Ken Condon	2:19.50
2016	Moonlight Magic	Kevin Manning	Jim Bolger	2:07.74
2017	Douglas Macarthur	Emmet McNamara	Aidan O'Brien	2:09.50
2018	Hazapour	Declan McDonogh	Dermot Weld	2:08.58
2019	Broome	Donnacha O'Brien	Aidan O'Brien	2:09.18
2020	Cormorant[b]	Padraig Beggy	Aidan O'Brien	2:08.88
2021	Bolshoi Ballet	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:07.37
2022	Stone Age	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:08.25
2023	Sprewell	Shane Foley	Jessica Harrington	2:15.57
2024	Los Angeles	Wayne Lordan	Aidan O'Brien	2:06.82
2025	Delacroix	Wayne Lordan	Aidan O'Brien	2:10.59

1. Ebanoran finished first in 2014, but was relegated to second place following a stewards' inquiry
2. The 2020 race was run in June due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland

See also

• Horse racing in Ireland
• List of Irish flat horse races