Saturday, 21 July 2012 - Sunday, 22 July 2012
The two-day Irish Oaks meeting at the Curragh is one of the most prestigious of the entire Flat racing season. The meeting opens on the Saturday and the feature event is the Group 3 Minstrel Stakes, which has been won by the likes of Trade Fair, Jumbajukiba and Air Chief Marshall in recent years. The 6f juvenile maiden can also produce a star, with the 2010 renewal being won by the subsequent dual Group 1 winner Misty For Me.
The Irish Oaks takes centre stage on the Sunday and it was first run in 1895, 29 years after the inaugural Irish Derby. It often attracts the winner of the English Oaks and indeed, Snow Fairy’s triumph in the 2010 running was the 12th time that the English/Irish Oaks double has been completed in modern times. As well as the main event, the card also gives the juveniles a chance to shine, as the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes invariably attracts a high-class field, with previous winners including the top-class performers Namid, Johannesburg and Oratorio. As well as that, the 7f juvenile maiden on the card has developed an excellent record for producing subsequent Group 1 winners, with the likes of Teofilo, New Approach and Pathfork all having won it in recent years. There is also something for the ladies, as Irish Oaks day plays host to one of the most high-profiles best dressed lady competition of the entire season.
Click here for more information on The Curragh Racecourse
