Pretty Polly Stakes
Ireland | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Pretty Polly Stakes is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for fillies and mares at the Curragh conducted by the Curragh Racecourse for Horse Racing Ireland.
The Pretty Polly Stakes is run over a mile and a quarter. It was first run in 1948 and was won by Cobatlic.
It is one of two major races in Ireland for fillies and mares only. The other is the Matron Stakes.
The Pretty Polly Stakes is run on the round course. It was only for fillies but became unrestricted.
Originally a Group 2 it was elevated to Group 1 in 2004.
The race is named after one of the greats. Pretty Polly won so many big races at the start of the last century including the Triple Crown.
Two horses have more than one win – Dance Design and Alexander Goldrun.
In the last decade, only three fillies have saluted.
Leading trainer is held by Vincent O'Brien with seven wins.
Eight different jockeys have three wins in the race including Liam Ward, Bill Williamson, Johnny Roe, Lester Piggott, Christy Roche, Michael Kinane, Seamie Heffernan, Ryan Moore.
Via Sistina would transfer to Australia and win the Ranvet Stakes for new trainer Chris Waller.
Bluestocking would win in 2024 before running second in the King George, fourth in the Juddmonte, winning the Vermeille before taking the big one – the Arc De Triomphe.
The Pretty Polly Stakes was worth €300,000 in 2025.
Notable winners of the Pretty Polly Stakes include Bluestocking (2024), Via Sistina (2023), La Petite Coco (2022), Magical (2020), Minding (2016), Izzi Top (2012), Misty For Me (2011), Dar Re Mi (2009), Peeing Fawn (2007), Alexander Goldrun (2005/2006), Rebelline (2001), Alborada (1998), Dance Design (1996/1997), Prince's Polly (1982), Godetia (1979) and Pidget (1972).
The 2025 Pretty Polly Stakes was won by Whirl from Kalpana and Survie.
Previous Pretty Polly Stakes Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
WHIRL
(IRE)
3F WOOTTON BASSETT (GB) - SALSA (IRE) GALILEO (IRE) |
RYAN MOORE | 57.0 | A P O'BRIEN | 7 |
|
|
BLUESTOCKING
(GB)
4F CAMELOT (GB) - EMULOUS (GB) DANSILI (GB) |
ROSSA RYAN | 62.5 | R M BECKETT | 3 |
|
|
VIA SISTINA
(IRE)
5M FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - NIGH (IRE) GALILEO (IRE) |
J P SPENCER | 61.5 | GEORGE BOUGHEY | 3 |
|
|
LA PETITE COCO
(IRE)
4F RULER OF THE WORLD (IRE) - LA PETITE VIRGINIA (GER) KONIGSTIGER (GER) |
W J LEE | 62.5 | P TWOMEY | 6 |
|
|
THUNDERING NIGHTS
(IRE)
4F NIGHT OF THUNDER (IRE) - CAPE CASTLE (IRE) CAPE CROSS (IRE) |
S M CROSSE | 62.5 | JOSEPH O'BRIEN | 7 |
|
|
MAGICAL
(IRE)
5M GALILEO (IRE) - HALFWAY TO HEAVEN (IRE) PIVOTAL (GB) |
SEAMIE HEFFERNAN | 62.5 | A P O'BRIEN | 5 |
|
|
IRIDESSA
(IRE)
3F RULER OF THE WORLD (IRE) - SENTA'S DREAM (GB) DANEHILL (USA) |
W M LORDAN | 56.0 | JOSEPH O'BRIEN | 3 |
|
|
URBAN FOX
(GB)
4F FOXWEDGE (AUS) - LOMAPAMAR (GB) NASHWAN (USA) |
D TUDHOPE | 61.0 | W J HAGGAS | 5 |
|
|
NEZWAAH
(GB)
4F DUBAWI (IRE) - FERDOOS (GB) DANSILI (GB) |
ANDREA ATZENI | 61.0 | ROGER VARIAN | 5 |
|
|
MINDING
(IRE)
3F GALILEO (IRE) - LILLIE LANGTRY (IRE) DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) |
RYAN MOORE | 56.0 | A P O'BRIEN | 3 |
|
|
DIAMONDSANDRUBIES
(IRE)
3F FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - QUARTER MOON (IRE) SADLER'S WELLS (USA) |
SEAMIE HEFFERNAN | 56.0 | A P O'BRIEN | 2 |
|
|
THISTLE BIRD
(GB)
6M SELKIRK (USA) - DOLMA (FR) MARCHAND DE SABLE (USA) |
GEORGE BAKER | 61.5 | R CHARLTON | 5 |
|
|
MY AMBIVALENT
(IRE)
4M AUTHORIZED (IRE) - DARRERY (GB) DARSHAAN (GB) |
J MURTAGH | 61.5 | ROGER VARIAN | 1 |
|
|
IZZI TOP
(GB)
4M PIVOTAL (GB) - ZEE ZEE TOP (GB) ZAFONIC (USA) |
WILLIAM BUICK | 61.0 | JOHN GOSDEN | 1 |
|
|
MISTY FOR ME
(IRE)
3F GALILEO (IRE) - BUTTERFLY COVE (USA) STORM CAT (USA) |
SEAMIE HEFFERNAN | 56.0 | A P O'BRIEN | 4 |
|
|
CHINESE WHITE
(IRE)
5M DALAKHANI (IRE) - CHIANG MAI (IRE) SADLER'S WELLS (USA) |
P SMULLEN | 61.5 | D K WELD | 2 |
|
|
DAR RE MI
(GB)
4M SINGSPIEL (IRE) - DARARA (GB) TOP VILLE (GB) |
JIMMY FORTUNE | 61.5 | JOHN GOSDEN | 4 |
|
|
PROMISING LEAD
(GB)
4M DANEHILL (USA) - ARRIVE (GB) KAHYASI (IRE) |
RYAN MOORE | 61.5 | SIR MICHAEL STOUTE | 1 |
|
|
PEEPING FAWN
(USA)
3F DANEHILL (USA) - MARYINSKY (IRE) SADLER'S WELLS (USA) |
K FALLON | 56.0 | A P O'BRIEN | 7 |
|
|
ALEXANDER GOLDRUN
(IRE)
5M GOLD AWAY (IRE) - RENASHAAN (FR) DARSHAAN (GB) |
K J MANNING | 61.0 | J S BOLGER | 1 |
|
|
ALEXANDER GOLDRUN
(IRE)
4M GOLD AWAY (IRE) - RENASHAAN (FR) DARSHAAN (GB) |
K J MANNING | 60.5 | J S BOLGER | 5 |
|
|
CHORIST
(GB)
5M PIVOTAL (GB) - CHOIR MISTRESS (GB) CHIEF SINGER (IRE) |
D HOLLAND | 60.5 | W J HAGGAS | 1 |
|
|
HANAMI
(GB)
3F HERNANDO (FR) - RUSSIAN ROSE (IRE) SOVIET LAD (USA) |
C SOUMILLON | 55.0 | JAMES TOLLER | 4 |
|
|
TARFSHI
(GB)
4M MTOTO (GB) - PASS THE PEACE (IRE) ALZAO (USA) |
PHILIP ROBINSON | 59.5 | M A JARVIS | 5 |
|
|
REBELLINE
(IRE)
3F ROBELLINO (USA) - FLEETING RAINBOW (GB) RAINBOW QUEST (USA) |
D P MCDONOGH | 54.0 | KEVIN PRENDERGAST | |
|
|
LADY UPSTAGE
(IRE)
3F ALZAO (USA) - |
MICHAEL HILLS | 54.5 | B W HILLS |
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