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To The The To National Stud National Solas Bhride Centre 12 Finish 11 Heritage Centre Start 10 You are Here are You 1 9 2 8 & Round Tower Round & St. Brigid's Cathedral St.Brigid's Well 7 3 6 5 4 Village Kildare

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KILDARE LEGENDS The route is shown on every furlong marker, so you won’t won’t so you marker, on every furlong is shown The route get lost! Each furlong marker tells the story of the Derby during that Derby story of the the tells marker furlong Each scanning the by is available decade. Additional information panel.QR code on each Starting with furlong marker 12, follow the markers past markers the 12, follow marker furlong with Starting town. of the centre finishing post, right in your number 1, to Allow 45 minutes to complete the trail. the complete to 45 minutes Allow How to follow it follow to How or 2.4km). is 1.5 miles (12 furlongs covered The distance Starting with 1900 and finishing at the present day, day, the present at and finishing 1900 with Starting fastest, the to you introduce will marker furlong each key horses and the or most interesting luckiest strongest, races. decade of Derby of each and jockeys trainers And so we invite you to walk the Derby “trip” over 12 over “trip” Derby the walk to you invite And so we legends of hoofprints of the in the following furlongs, horse race. pre-eminent ’s The earliest Irish Derbies were run over 14 furlongs until furlongs 14 run over were Irish Derbies The earliest distance its current to reduced race when the 1872 or 1.5 miles. of 12 furlongs, The was first run at The in The Curragh first was run at The Irish Derby until wasn’t but it first winner, the was 1866. the truly captured race the that 1907 win in ’s fraternity. Irish racing imagination of the 2010 2020 to , 2012 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS Winner of the 2000 Guineas, the trail Derby and the Irish Derby. TRAINER: Aidan O’Brien

Having won the 2000 Guineas, the and the Irish Derby, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Camelot narrowly lost out on winning the Triple Crown, finishing second in the St Leger. Camelot’s was stable jockey, 19-year-old Joseph O’Brien, son of Aidan O’Brien, the trainer. It was an auspicious start to his career as he went on to be named Jockey that year. Camelot was his father’s seventh consecutive Irish Derby winner. Bred to be a winner, does the double for the O’Briens, 2014 By a Derby winner and out of Oaks winner , Australia had a lot of potential to fulfil, and he didn’t disappoint. The Epsom winner made short shrift of the four other horses in the field at The Curragh to land another Derby for the O’Brien team of trainer father and jockey son. Double champion gives jockey his first Epsom Derby win, 2016 Despite losing a shoe on the trip from Ireland to Epsom, plucky Harzand defeated 15 opponents

St. Brigid's Cathedral to win the English Derby for the 3 & Round Tower 4 Aga Khan and trainer . 2 For jockey Pat Smullen it was his 5 1 HeritageYou Centreare Here first Epsom win. Three weeks later 1 Finish 8 Harzand completed the double Kildare Village by winning at The Curragh, gifting

6 Weld his third winner. 7 O’Brien domination, 2018

9 In another extraordinary episode for the O’Brien family, Latrobe, trained by Joseph and ridden by his Solas Bhride Centre 10 brother, Donnacha, finished ahead of their father’s Rostropovich in an 11 epic duel to the line.

Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To 2000 to 2010 Galileo, 2001 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS Dual winner of Irish and Epsom trail Derbies; Sire Extraordinaire. TRAINER: Aidan O’Brien

Convincing winner of the Epsom Derby, Galileo was the odds-on favourite to win at The Curragh and to secure the double for trainer Aidan O’Brien, which he did with aplomb under . An Irish Derby win was the one accolade that eluded champion jockey Kinane and this trip was his 18th attempt. Galileo, housed at ’s , has become one of the greatest of all time. scoops both Derbies and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, 2000 Sinndar, owned by the HH Aga Khan and trained on the Curragh by , was the first Irish- trained Epsom winner since in 1984. He won the ‘Millennium Derby’ at the Curragh by nine lengths under and added the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to his many accolades before being retired to stud. ’s surprise win is a Weld family affair, 2004 Grey Swallow was a special winner for trainer Dermot Weld, not only because he beat the first four horses across the line at Epsom that year,

St. Brigid's Cathedral but because he was born, raised 3 & Round Tower 4 and co-owned by his mother, Mrs 22 You are Here Marguerite Weld. 5 1 Heritage Centre Finish 8

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Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1990 to 2000 St. Jovite, 1992 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS Broke the track records for speed trail and winning distance. TRAINER: Jim Bolger

St. Jovite finished a record 12 lengths ahead of , who had beaten him in the Epsom Derby that season, and in 2:25:60, the fastest time ever for the 12-furlong course. becomes the first to win since 1900 After the wins of Shareef Dancer and in the 1980s for the Maktoum brothers, Salsabil, owned by Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum, would land the spoils for another branch of the family, having already taken the 1,000 Guineas and the . In so doing Salsabil was the first filly to win the Derby since 1900. is Curragh trainer Dermot Weld’s first Derby winner, 1996 Zagreb, trained on the Curragh by Dermot Weld, was only thought suitable to run because it rained heavily two days before the 1996 Derby. Pat Shanahan was the jockey to steer Dermot Weld’s first Irish Derby winner home. is first Irish Derby winner for trainer Aidan O’Brien, 1997 Young trainer and former amateur jockey Aidan O’Brien was already making waves since he’d taken St. Brigid's Cathedral 3 & Round Tower over the Ballydoyle yard that had You are Here4 3 2 been so productive in the hands of Vincent O’Brien (no relation), but in 5 1 Heritage Centre Finish 8 1997 Desert King brought him his first Irish Derby win. Kildare Village

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Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1980 to 1990 , 1981 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS One of the easiest Irish Derby wins. trail TRAINER:

Though trained in Newmarket, Shergar was bred on the Curragh at Sheshoon, the Aga Khan stud. He won the 1981 Epsom Derby by ten lengths, the greatest distance of any winner. He was ridden to an easy victory at the Curragh by Lester Piggot. Shergar was famously kidnapped from Ballymany, the Aga Khan’s stud a stone’s throw from the . He had been retired there the year after his Irish Derby victory to stand as a . No trace of him was ever . , bred and raced by HH Aga Khan IV completes the double, 1986 Shahrastani (by ) won the inaugural Budweiser Irish Derby, the sponsorship of brewer Anheuser-Bausch restoring status of the Irish Derby as the richest race in Europe.

Kahyasi completes the Aga Khan’s hattrick of doubles, and on a Sunday, 1988 , bred in Ireland and trained by young Newmarket-based trainer , became the third

St. Brigid's Cathedral Aga Khan horse to win both the 3 & Round Tower 44 You are Here Epsom and Irish Derbies following 2 in the hoofprints of Shergar and 5 1 Heritage Centre Shahrastani. Finish 8

Kildare Village Maktoum family success,

6 1983 and 1989 7 Shareef Dancer’s win in 1983 for Sheikh Maktoum was followed in 9 1989 with Old Vic’s victory for his brother Sheikh Mohammed. His

Solas Bhride Centre Highness left a lasting legacy to the 10 Curragh in the form of the Old Vic Gallop, an all-weather gallop, much 11 used to this day, in commemoration of the win.

Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1970 to 1980 to 1970 Nijinsky, 1970 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS Winner of the Irish Derby and the trail English Triple Crown, a feat that has never been since. TRAINER: MV O’Brien

Nijinsky, bred in but trained at Ballydoyle by Vincent O’Brien, took his place at the starting line of the 1970 Irish Derby the hot favourite, unbeaten in eight races. O’Brien’s stable jockey Liam Ward steered him to victory to rapturous applause that day. Nijinsky, named after Russian ballet dancer Waslaw Nijinsky, is the only horse to have achieved the English Triple Crown (consisting of the 2000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and the St Leger) in addition to the Irish Derby in the same season. and Eddery complete the double, 1975 Not only did the -trained Grundy win both the English and Irish Derbies but Grundy’s jockey, Irish-born , was the first jockey to achieve the double on the same horse. cements the winning partnership of MV O’Brien and , 1977 Surviving an objection reminiscent

St. Brigid's Cathedral of that made against 3 & Round Tower 4 in the 1953 Derby, Canadian-bred 2 The Minstrel continued the pattern 55 You are Here 1 Heritage Centre of Derby winners from Vincent Finish 8 O’Brien’s yard, ridden by Lester Kildare Village Piggott.

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Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1960 to 1970 to 1960 , 1965 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS Lester Piggott’s first Irish Derby win; trail Bing Crosby serenades crowds as his horse wins Irish Derby. TRAINER: PJ Prendergast

Trained by PJ Prendergast on the Curragh, Meadow Court was part-owned by Hollywood superstar Bing Crosby. On a miserably wet day at the Curragh, Bing delighted the crowds with a rendition of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling on the winner’s podium. Winner of the inaugural Irish Sweeps Derby, 1962 The sponsorship of the Derby by the Irish Hospitals’ Sweepstakes saw the prize money shoot from just under £8,000 the previous year to £60,000, firmly putting the Irish classic on the world map. Tambourine II, a French horse, was declared the winner of what was at the time the richest horse race in Europe, in a photo finish with Arctic Storm. was victorious the following year. He gave his name to Ragusa Stud, now owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed. does the double, 1964 Hot favourite Santa Claus emulated Orby to win both the Epsom Derby and Irish Derby in the same year. Jockey Willie Burke was a stable St. Brigid's Cathedral 3 & Round Tower hand in the yard of JM Rogers at 4 2 Stepaside on the Curragh when he steered Santa Claus to victory in 5 1 Heritage Centre Finish 8 1964. JM Rogers was the grandson of JT Rogers, trainer of 1935 Derby Kildare Village winner Museum. 6 6 You7 are Here

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Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1950 to 1960 , 1957 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS First Irish-trained horse to win trail the English St. Leger. TRAINER: Vincent O’Brien

Ballymoss was an easy winner of the 1957 Irish Derby and went on to become the first Irish-trained winner of the St Leger, the oldest British Classic. Chamier wins on an objection, 1953 There was a thrilling finish to the 1953 Derby, indeed the drama continued long past the post. Newmarket horse Premonition was declared the winner in a photo finish with local favourite Chamier; however, on the instigation of Chamier’s trainer Vincent B O’Brien, Chamier’s jockey W (Bill) Rickaby lodged an objection, claiming that their horse had been bored by Premonition. The outcome of the stewards’ enquiry was the disqualification of Premonition, leaving Chamier the victor, Vincent O’Brien’s first Irish Derby winner.

A 50-to-1 winner, 1954 won the 1954 Derby at 50 to 1, the longest odds ever recorded for the race. His rider that day was Paddy Powell. 1954 was a good year for Zarathustra. He went St. Brigid's Cathedral on to win the Irish St Leger and the 3 & Round Tower 4 Plate. Zarathustra was 2 born in County Antrim and was 5 1 Heritage Centre Finish trained on the Curragh by Michael 8 Hurley. Kildare Village

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Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1940 to 1950 Windsor Slipper, 1942 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS Wins Irish Triple Crown. trail TRAINER: MC Collins

Odds-on favourite Windsor Slipper, who with jockey Morny Wing had already won the Irish 2000 Guineas, streaked to victory some six lengths ahead of Grand Inquisitor, the second placed horse, in the 1942 Derby. The unbeaten Windsor Slipper was owned by one Joe McGrath, a man who played a significant role both in racing and in the shaping of a fledgling Irish State as a member of the first Dáil Eireann (Irish parliament) and a number of subsequent Dáileanna. He would go on to be the largest and most successful owner in the history of Irish racing and the man behind the association in 1962 of the Irish Hospitals’ Sweepstakes and the Irish Derby, a partnership which propelled the race onto the global stage.

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Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1930 to 1940 Museum, 1935 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS First horse to win the Irish Triple trail Crown. TRAINER: JT Rogers

Museum was the first horse to win the Irish Triple Crown, namely the 2000 Guineas (over one mile); the Derby (a mile and a half); and the St Leger (a mile and six furlongs). This horse illustrates the legacy of the First World War on the Irish racing industry. Many English jockeys and trainers came to Ireland to work during the war. JT ‘Jack’ Rogers was one such trainer. A strong disciplinarian, he settled here and his son and grandson went on to train Classic winners on the Curragh. Jockeys travelled between English and Irish meetings, often by cattle boat. No such drudgery for Museum’s jockey, the hugely popular ; he arrived at The Curragh by private plane! His bravado would seem to have been well placed as he steered Museum to victory by a length from hot favourite Smokeless, also trained by Jack Rogers.

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Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1920 1930 to Zionist, 1925 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS First horse owned by HH the Aga trail Khan III to win the Derby. TRAINER: RC Dawson

Zionist was bred by Captain Charles Moore of Mooresfort, Tipperary, and though trained in , , the trainer was Irishman RC Dawson. His jockey was Kildare man HH ‘Harry’ Beasley. The Aga Khan’s family were no strangers to the breeding of Arabian , but it was a meeting and friendship with Colonel Hall Walker that led to the young prince dipping his toe into breeding and racing on these islands. Hall Walker had begun breeding horses at Tully near Kildare in 1900 (his stud farm is today the ). He recommended the Aga Khan get involved in in England. Furthermore, he counselled that the very best place to breed horses was Ireland. From the 1920s the Aga Khan established stud farms in Ireland including Gilltown and the adjoining Sallymount, and Sheshoon, all in , now run by his grandson HH the Aga Khan IV.

The first ever dead heat in an Irish Derby, 1924 The use of photography to a winner did not emerge until the late 1930s, so it was the St. Brigid's Cathedral 3 & Round Tower human eye of a judge that deemed 4 2 the 1924 Derby a dead heat between Haine and Zodiac, both 5 1 Heritage Centre Finish 8 English horses.

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Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1910 to 1920 to 1910 Loch , 1919 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS First winner ridden by an apprentice trail jockey, who was also the youngest jockey to ride a Derby winner. First female owner of a Derby winner. TRAINER: JJ Parkinson

For historical reasons, the British racing industry was much more developed than Ireland’s and in the early part of the twentieth century it was for English horses to win the Irish Derby. The curtailment of the British racing calendar because of World War 1 (1914–1918) only heightened the of the Irish Derby for the so-called British raiders. In 1919, Loch Lomond reversed the trend. This Irish horse is a notable winner in this decade for a number of reasons. For one, the jockey who steered him to victory was an apprentice jockey.

Martin Quirke, apprentice jockey, rides the Derby winner at just 19 years old EM (Martin) Quirke from Tipperary, aged just 19, was a favourite of the St. Brigid's Cathedral horse’s owner Ms Elizabeth Mary 3 & Round Tower 4 Cowhy. Loch Lomond’s trainer 2 Michael Dawson had been insisting 5 1 Heritage Centre Finish that his retained jockey ride Loch 8 Lomond in the big race, but Ms Kildare Village Cowhy stuck to her guns. She 6 7 removed the horse from Dawson’s yard, placing him with JJ Parkinson. Her pick, young Martin Quirke, who 9 went on to be a champion jockey, rode to victory six lengths clear, the youngest jockey to win an Irish Derby. Solas Bhride Centre 10 Ms Cowhy thus became the first female owner of an Irish Derby You are Here 1111 winner.

Start 12 St.Brigid's Well To The National Stud 1900 to 1910 Orby, 1907 KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS First Irish-trained Winner of the trail Epsom Derby and Irish Derby TRAINER: Colonel McCabe

Orby, the 1907 winner of both the Epsom Derby and Irish Derby, and his owner, Richard “Boss” Croker, were major celebrities in 1907 Ireland. When the three-year-old arrived by boat in Kingstown (today Dún Laoghaire) having won the Epsom Derby, thousands of people were there to welcome him home. “Thank God for you and Orby, Sir,” a woman is reported to have said to Croker, “We’ve lived to see a Catholic horse win the Derby!” was born in County Cork, but his family emigrated to New York while he was an infant. He became the leader (“Boss”) of the infamous Tammany Hall, a political organisation which helped establish immigrants, especially Irish immigrants, in Democratic Party politics in Manhattan. Orby was initially trained by JJ Parkinson at Maddenstown, the Curragh, but following a disagreement between trainer and owner, Parkinson reportedly sent a telegram to Croker, which read: Horse at Kildare railway station. Collect. Croker placed Orby with Col Fred McCabe at Glencairn Lodge near Dublin, the property he had bought on his departure from the US. Parkinson may have regretted his hastiness; Orby went on to win the St. Brigid's Cathedral 3 & Round Tower Irish Derby at odds of 10 to 1 on. 4 2

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You are HereStart 12 St.Brigid's Well 12 To The National Stud

WINNING POST

To The The To National Stud National Solas Bhride Centre 12 Finish 11 Heritage Centre Start 10 1 9 You are Here are You 2 8 & Round Tower Round & St. Brigid's Cathedral St.Brigid's Well 7 3 6 5 4 Kildare Village Kildare ” has been sung live has been sung live by Sean which Magee by

The Irish Derby

trail The Curragh of Kildare

KILDARE DERBY LEGENDS And straight I willTo therepair Curragh ofFor Kildare it’s there I’ll find tidings of

“ The folk song The folk Derby Tradition Tradition Derby To find out more about the Derby and the great racing the great and the Derby about find out more To and visit www.intokildare.ie please of Kildare, tradition of histories written The great www.curragh.ie/derby150. include Derby the The Irish Derby has firmly established itself as the jewel in the jewel itself as has firmly established The Irish Derby Racecourse’s The Curragh and with crown Irish racing the look we facilities world-class and new stand spectacular future. a long and fascinating to forward Congratulations on making the 12-furlong trip! The trip! 12-furlong on making the Congratulations the us to brought have champions great of the stories post. winning end, the trail’s stands on the shoulders of two of the most respected most respected of the of two shoulders on the stands Guy St John generation, present of the historians racing leans on their This trail Hyland. PM Williams and Francis mind and memory great and on the of another work Jim Kavanagh. historian, racing on Derby day for many decades. many for day on Derby