The Gladness Stakes is a Group 3 flat

horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) at the

Curragh The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...

in April.

History

The event is named after Gladness, a successful Irish-trained racehorse in the 1950s. It was established in 1963, and was initially contested over 1 mile and 2 furlongs. It was shortened to a mile in 1964, and cut to its present length in 1970. For a period the Gladness Stakes held Listed status. It used to be open to horses aged three or older. It was promoted to Group 3 level in 1987, and closed to three-year-olds in 2004. It was re-opened to three-year-olds from 2014.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins): * Mustameet – ''2005, 2007'' * Lancaster House – ''2020, 2021'' Leading jockey (4 wins): * George McGrath – ''Signa Infesta (1968), Rocked (1969), Pardner (1972), Rare April (1977)'' Leading trainer (8 wins): *

Vincent O'Brien Vincent O'Brien (9 April 1917 – 1 June 2009) was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history in a worldwide poll hosted by the ''Racing Post''. In e ...

– ''Nijinsky (1970), Minsky (1971), Dapper (1973), Apalachee (1974), Night Alert (1980), Lomond (1983), El Gran Senor (1984), Great Lakes (1990)''

Winners since 1981

Earlier winners

* 1963: Christmas Island * 1964: Khalkis * 1965: Western Wind * 1966: Not So Cold * 1967: Sparrow Hawk * 1968: Signa Infesta * 1969: Rocked * 1970:

Nijinsky Vaslav (or Vatslav) Nijinsky (; rus, Вацлав Фомич Нижинский, Vatslav Fomich Nizhinsky, p=ˈvatsləf fɐˈmʲitɕ nʲɪˈʐɨnskʲɪj; pl, Wacław Niżyński, ; 12 March 1889/18908 April 1950) was a ballet dancer and choreog ...

* 1971: Minsky * 1972: Pardner * 1973: Dapper * 1974:

Apalachee The Apalachee were an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, specifically an Indigenous people of Florida, who lived in the Florida Panhandle until the early 18th century. They lived between the Aucilla River and Ochlockonee River, ...

* 1975: It's Freezing * 1976: Sovereign Dice * 1977: Rare April * 1978: Icelandic * 1979: Secret of Success * 1980: Night Alert

References

Racing Post ''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting publisher which is published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of ...

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galopp-sieger.de
– ''Gladness Stakes.''
ifhaonline.org
– ''International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Gladness Stakes (2019).''

– ''Gladness Stakes (Group 3).''
pedigreequery.com
– ''Gladness Stakes – Curragh.'' Open mile category horse races Curragh Racecourse Flat races in Ireland 1963 establishments in Ireland Recurring sporting events established in 1963

History

Records

Winners since 1981

Earlier winners

See also

References