Inaugurated 1971 Sponsor Derrinstown Stud Distance 1m 2f (2,012 metres) | Race type Flat / Thoroughbred Website Leopardstown | |
Location Leopardstown
Co. Dublin, Ireland | ||
The Derrinstown Stud 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.
Contents
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.
The Derrinstown Stud 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 Fame and Glory in 2009.
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 known as the King George V Cup.
Winners
a Ebanoran finished first in 2014, but was relegated to second place following a stewards' inquiry.