Challenge Stakes (Ireland) Explained

|}The Challenge Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,816 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.

The race was first run in 1991 and was restricted to fillies and mares from 2016.^[1] Since 2016 the race has been run as the Stanerra Stakes. In 2018 it was upgraded from Listed to Group 3 status as part of changes to enhance the European programme of stayer's races.^[2]

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

• Profound Beauty – 2008, 2009, 2010

Leading jockey (8 wins):

• Pat Smullen – Vinnie Roe (2001), Orpington (2005), Profound Beauty (2008, 2009, 2010), Sense Of Purpose (2011), Galileo's Choice (2012), Pale Mimosa (2014)

Leading trainer (9 wins):

• Dermot Weld – Vinnie Roe (2001), Orpington (2005), Profound Beauty (2008, 2009, 2010), Sense Of Purpose (2011), Galileo's Choice (2012), Pale Mimosa (2014), Shamida (2023)

Winners

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Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Time
2000	Pairumani Star	5	Pat Shanahan	John Dunlop	3:0.60
2001	Vinnie Roe	3	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	3:2.20
2002	Queens Wharf	4	Jerry O'Dwyer	Michael Halford	3:43.90
2003	Blue Corrig	3	Declan McDonogh	Joseph Crowley	3:00.70
2004	Barolo	5	Johnny Murtagh	Peter Harris	3:03.70
2005	Orpington	4	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	2:56.20
2006	Foreign Affairs	8	Declan McDonogh	Sir Mark Prescott	2:57.60
2007	Galistic	4	Danny Grant	Patrick J. Flynn	3:09.01
2008	Profound Beauty	4	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	2:55.00
2009	Profound Beauty	5	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	2:59.30
2010	Profound Beauty	6	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	3:04.82
2011	Sense Of Purpose	4	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	3:01.82
2012	Galileo's Choice	6	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	3:09.13
2013	Royal Diamond	7	Johnny Murtagh	Johnny Murtagh	2:59.65
2014	Pale Mimosa	5	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld	2:59.63
2015	Fields Of Athenry	3	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	3:09.77
2016	Arya Tara	3	Anastasia O'Brien	Joseph O'Brien	3:09.35
2017	Wild Irish Rose	3	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	3:03.65
2018	Cimeara	3	Kevin Manning	Jim Bolger	3:08.44
2019	Peach Tree	3	Wayne Lordan	Aidan O'Brien	3:02.08
2020	Passion	3	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	3:18.85
2021	Believe In Love	4	Ronan Whelan	Roger Varian	3:03.52
2022	Rosscarbery	4	Billy Lee	Paddy Twomey	3:01.94
2023	Shamida	3	Chris Hayes	Dermot Weld	3:00.98
2024	Grateful	3	Ronan Whelan	Aidan O'Brien	3:01.29

See also

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

References

• Racing Post:
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• ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Stannera Stakes (2019).

Notes and References

1. Web site: Curragh races upgraded by European Pattern Committee. The Curragh racecourse. 30 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161001193105/http://www.curragh.ie/curragh-races-upgraded-by-european-pattern-committee/. 1 October 2016. dead.
2. Web site: European Pattern Committee announces changes to the 2018 European Programme of Black Type Races. British Horseracing Authority. 26 January 2018.