Horse racing prize money in Ireland
10 races in Ireland put up €1.9m between them, 0% of all the prize money we hold. the Irish Derby leads them on €1,000,000.
the Irish Derby is the 70th richest race in the world, and the average race here is worth €189,250 against €389,273 across every race on this site.
The twelve richest
In Ireland, by prize money
Every race, ranked
10 races, biggest purse first
| # | Race | Course | Grade | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Irish Derby 1m 4f (2,414 metres) | Curragh Racecourse | Group 1 | €1,000,000 |
| 2 | Irish 2,000 Guineas 1 mile (1,609 metres) | Curragh Racecourse | Group 1 | €460,000 |
| 3 | Leopardstown Derby Trial 1m 2f (2,012 metres) | Leopardstown | Group 3 | €80,000 |
| 4 | Ulster Derby 1m 4f 150y (2,551m) | Down Royal | Handicap | €75,000 |
| 5 | Ballysax Stakes 1m 2f (2,012 metres) | Leopardstown | Group 3 | €50,000 |
| 6 | Gallinule Stakes 1m 2f (2,012 metres) | Curragh Racecourse | Group 3 | €50,000 |
| 7 | Tetrarch Stakes 1 mile (1,609 metres) | Curragh Racecourse | Listed | €50,000 |
| 8 | King George V Cup 1m 4f (2,413 metres) | Leopardstown | Listed | €45,000 |
| 9 | Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) | Leopardstown | Group 3 | €42,500 |
| 10 | Patton Stakes 1m (1,609 m) | Dundalk Stadium | €40,000 |
Which courses hold the money
4 racecourses in Ireland
| # | Racecourse | Races | Total prize money | Biggest race |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curragh Racecourse | 4 | €1,560,000€1.6m | Irish Derby |
| 2 | Leopardstown | 4 | €217,500 | Leopardstown Derby Trial |
| 3 | Down Royal | 1 | €75,000 | Ulster Derby |
| 4 | Dundalk Stadium | 1 | €40,000 | Patton Stakes |
Curragh Racecourse holds 82% of the Ireland prize money on this page across 4 races. A racecourse's standing in racing is usually told through its history; this is the same standing told through the till.
Who wins in Ireland
Winning rides across the 10 races on this page
| # | Jockey | Wins | Races | Span | Biggest win | Worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Kinane | 36 | 9 | 1981 to 2007 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 2 | Ryan Moore | 31 | 9 | 2015 to 2026 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 3 | Johnny Murtagh | 25 | 9 | 1992 to 2013 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 4 | Kevin Manning | 25 | 9 | 1988 to 2021 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 5 | Christy Roche | 23 | 7 | 1972 to 1998 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 6 | Pat Smullen | 21 | 9 | 1998 to 2016 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 7 | Seamie Heffernan | 20 | 7 | 1999 to 2026 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 8 | Lester Piggott | 17 | 5 | 1965 to 1994 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 9 | Pat Eddery | 14 | 6 | 1975 to 1993 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 10 | Chris Hayes | 12 | 6 | 2007 to 2019 | Irish 2,000 Guineas | €460,000 |
| 11 | Joseph O'Brien | 11 | 7 | 2011 to 2014 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 12 | Wayne Lordan | 11 | 6 | 2010 to 2026 | Leopardstown Derby Trial | €80,000 |
| 13 | Colin Keane | 9 | 6 | 2014 to 2025 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 14 | Jamie Spencer | 9 | 6 | 2004 to 2019 | Irish 2,000 Guineas | €460,000 |
| 15 | Declan McDonogh | 9 | 7 | 2006 to 2018 | Leopardstown Derby Trial | €80,000 |
The world list of winning jockeys is dominated by whoever rode most in the biggest country. Asked of Ireland on its own it gives a different set of names.
The trainers
Winning runners across the same 10 races
| # | Trainer | Wins | Races | Span | Biggest win | Worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aidan O'Brien | 121 | 10 | 1997 to 2026 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 2 | Dermot Weld | 45 | 10 | 1980 to 2019 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 3 | Jim Bolger | 37 | 10 | 1981 to 2021 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 4 | Vincent O'Brien | 36 | 7 | 1953 to 1993 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 5 | John Oxx | 21 | 8 | 1988 to 2012 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 6 | Kevin Prendergast | 15 | 7 | 1976 to 2016 | Irish 2,000 Guineas | €460,000 |
| 7 | Paddy Prendergast | 11 | 4 | 1950 to 1980 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 8 | Joseph O'Brien | 8 | 6 | 2017 to 2026 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 9 | Ger Lyons | 8 | 6 | 2004 to 2022 | Irish 2,000 Guineas | €460,000 |
| 10 | Liam Browne | 6 | 4 | 1978 to 1986 | Irish 2,000 Guineas | €460,000 |
| 11 | David Wachman | 6 | 5 | 2005 to 2015 | Leopardstown Derby Trial | €80,000 |
| 12 | Jessica Harrington | 6 | 3 | 2008 to 2024 | Leopardstown Derby Trial | €80,000 |
| 13 | Richard Hannon Sr. | 5 | 2 | 1987 to 2010 | Irish 2,000 Guineas | €460,000 |
| 14 | David O'Brien | 4 | 4 | 1982 to 1985 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| 15 | Michael Stoute | 4 | 2 | 1981 to 1989 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
The horses that won more than once
Across every race on this page
| Horse | Wins | Races | Span | Biggest win | Worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert King | 3 | 3 | 1997 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Fame and Glory | 3 | 3 | 2009 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Galileo | 3 | 3 | 2001 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| High Chaparral | 3 | 3 | 2002 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Two-Twenty-Two | 3 | 3 | 1998 | Tetrarch Stakes | €50,000 |
| Alamshar | 2 | 2 | 2003 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Assert | 2 | 2 | 1982 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Dylan Thomas | 2 | 2 | 2006 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Grey Swallow | 2 | 2 | 2004 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Grundy | 2 | 2 | 1975 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Harzand | 2 | 2 | 2016 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Los Angeles | 2 | 2 | 2024 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Santa Claus | 2 | 2 | 1964 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| Sinndar | 2 | 2 | 2000 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
| St Jovite | 2 | 2 | 1992 | Irish Derby | €1,000,000 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the richest horse race in Ireland?
the Irish Derby, at €1,000,000. It is run at Curragh Racecourse. Worldwide it is the 70th richest race in the world.
How much prize money is there in Ireland racing?
€1,892,500 across the 10 races here, which is 0% of all the prize money on this site. 0 of them pay €1,170,000 or more.
Does Ireland pay more than anywhere else?
It is 12th of 14 countries here on total prize money. The average race in it is worth €189,250 against €389,273 across every race on the site.
Which racecourse in Ireland pays the most?
Curragh Racecourse, whose 4 races on this page put up €1,560,000 between them.
Who has won the most big races in Ireland?
Michael Kinane, with 36 winning rides across 9 of these races between 1981 and 2007.
Where to next
The rest of the racing money