Ulster Derby
| Class | Handicap |
|---|---|
| Location | Down Royal, County Down Northern Ireland |
| Inaugurated | 1936 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | BoyleSports |
| Website | Down Royal |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1m 4f 150y (2,551m) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old |
| Weight | Handicap |
| Purse | €75,000 (2020) 1st: €44,250 |
| 2025 | ||
| | |
| Vorfreude | Winston Junior | Acapulco Bay |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ||
| | |
| Going Remote | Barnso | Tamrat |
| 2023 | ||
| | |
| Tower Of London | Ibrahimovic | Hippodrome |
| 2022 | ||
| | |
| Urban Oasis | Cougar | Manu Et Corde |
| 2021 | ||
| | |
| Iowa | King Of The Castle | Bear Story |
| 2020-2011 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ||
| | |
| Red Kelly | Sunchart | Baby Zeus |
| 2019 | ||
| | |
| Dadoozdart | King's Vow | Future Investment |
| 2018 | ||
| | |
| Change Of Velocity | Sheberghan | Midnight Wilde |
| 2017 | ||
| | |
| Clongowes | Wingingit | Tilly's Chilli |
| 2016 | ||
| | |
| Stellar Mass | Manjaam | Lieutenant General |
| 2015 | ||
| | |
| Botany Bay | Fields Of Athenry | Brightly Shining |
| 2014 | ||
| | |
| Wexford Town | Magnolia Beach | Azurite |
| 2013 | ||
| | |
| Sir Ector | Maggie Dalton | Scatter Dice |
| 2012 | ||
| | |
| Alhellal | Rattan | Royal Diamond |
| 2011 | ||
| | |
| Banksters Bonus | Force Of Habit | Denny Crane |
| 2010-2003 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
| | |
| Celtic Dane | Northgate | Fantoche |
| 2009 | ||
| | |
| Changingoftheguard | Drunken Sailor | Adjaliya |
| 2008 | ||
| | |
| Fantoche | Salute Him | Ragged Staff |
| 2007 | ||
| | |
| Temlett | Song of Hiawatha | Mutadarek |
| 2006 | ||
| | |
| Kempes | Callow Lake | Swiss Cottage |
| 2005 | ||
| | |
| Newlands North | Callow Lake | Raggtime Toon |
| 2004 | ||
| | |
| Green Lassy | Cloone River | Theme Song |
| 2003 | ||
| | |
| Blue Corrig | Mr Wong | Aqualina |
The Ulster Derby is a flat handicap horse race in Northern Ireland open to three-year-old horses. It is run at Down Royal over a distance of 1 mile 4 furlongs and 150 yards (2,551 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.
The event was established in 1936, and it was originally restricted to three-year-olds.[1] For a period it was contested over 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 68 yards. It was opened to older horses in 1994, and increased in distance to 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 190 yards (2,588 metres). In 2014 it was restricted to three-year-olds again and reduced to 1 mile and 3 furlongs (2, 213 metres) before being increased to its present distance in 2015.
The Ulster Derby is Northern Ireland's most valuable flat race.
Records
Most successful horse:
- no horse has won this race more than once
Leading jockey since 1962 (4 wins):
- Tommy Murphy – Dumbwaiter (1974), Caucasus (1975), Transworld (1977), Encyclopedia (1978)
Leading trainer since 1962 (7 wins):
- Vincent O'Brien – Onandaga (1969), Tantoul (1971), Dumbwaiter (1974), Caucasus (1975), Transworld (1977), Encyclopedia (1978), Baba Karam (1987)
- Jim Bolger - Nordic Region (1990), Kirov Premiere (1993), Citizen Edward (2001, dd-ht), Wexford Town (2014), Stellar Mass (2016), Clongowes (2017), Change of Velocity (2018)
Winners since 1988
- Weights given in stones and pounds.
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Highland Bud | 3 | 8–11 | Ron Quinton | John Oxx | |
| 1989 | Lone Runner | 3 | 8–11 | Raymond Carroll | Dermot Weld | |
| 1990 | Nordic Region | 3 | 8–11 | Willie Supple | Jim Bolger | |
| 1991 | Dowland | 3 | 8–11 | Steve Cauthen | Michael Kauntze | |
| 1992 | Tijara | 3 | 8-09 | Johnny Murtagh | John Oxx | |
| 1993 | Kirov Premiere | 3 | 9-04 | Christy Roche | Jim Bolger | |
| 1994 | Karikata | 3 | 8-01 | D. G. O'Shea | John Oxx | |
| 1995 | Munif | 3 | 8–10 | Michael Kinane | Dermot Weld | 2:33.50 |
| 1996 | I'm Supposin | 4 | 9-09 | M. Duffy | Kevin Prendergast | |
| 1997 | Docklands Limo | 4 | 8-05 | David Harrison | Brian McMath | 2:33.80 |
| 1998 | Dragon Triumph | 3 | 8-02 | Robbie Fitzpatrick | Jim Gorman | 2:35.10 |
| 1999 | General Cloney | 3 | 8-00 | Niall McCullagh | Willie Mullins | 2:34.90 |
| 2000 | Media Puzzle | 3 | 8-09 | Pat Smullen | Dermot Weld | 2:32.10 |
| 2001 (dh) | Citizen Edward Masilia | 4 4 | 8-03 8-07 | Seamie Heffernan Johnny Murtagh | Jim Bolger John Oxx | 2:32.30 |
| 2002 | Balapour | 4 | 8-01 | Tom Queally | Oliver Brady | 2:53.30 |
| 2003 | Blue Corrig | 3 | 7-05 | Davy Moran | Joe Crowley | 2:35.70 |
| 2004 | Green Lassy | 4 | 7-05 | Padraig Beggy | Ger Lyons | 2:45.70 |
| 2005 | Newlands North | 4 | 7–10 | Rory Cleary | Michael O'Brien | 2:49.50 |
| 2006 | Kempes | 3 | 8-08 | Pat Smullen | Frances Crowley | 2:43.20 |
| 2007 | Temlett | 3 | 8-01 | Chris Hayes | Willie Mullins | 2:46.50 |
| 2008 | Fantoche | 6 | 8-05 | Willie Supple | Jessica Harrington | 2:50.00 |
| 2009 | Changingoftheguard | 3 | 8-07 | Colm O'Donoghue | Aidan O'Brien | 2:45.38 |
| 2010 | Celtic Dane | 6 | 9-05 | Chris Hayes | Kevin Prendergast | 2:42.12 |
| 2011 | Banksters Bonus | 3 | 8-09 | Shane Foley | Jessica Harrington | 2:48.89 |
| 2012 | Alhellal | 6 | 8-08 | Declan McDonogh | Maurice Phelan | 2:52.39 |
| 2013 | Sir Ector | 6 | 9-03 | Chris Hayes | Jimmy Lambe | 2:47.41 |
| 2014 | Wexford Town | 3 | 8-13 | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | 2:19.95 |
| 2015 | Botany Bay | 3 | 8-04 | Niall McCullagh | Charles O'Brien | 2:43.47 |
| 2016 | Stellar Mass | 3 | 9-06 | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | 2:47.09 |
| 2017 | Clongowes | 3 | 8-10 | Ronan Whelan | Jim Bolger | 2:44.01 |
| 2018 | Change Of Velocity | 3 | 9-12 | Kevin Manning | Jim Bolger | 2:46.67 |
| 2019 | Dadoozart | 3 | 9-07 | Shane Foley | Noel Meade | 2:54.90 |
| 2020 | Red Kelly[a] | 3 | 9-03 | Shane B. Kelly | Johnny Murtagh | 2:51.85 |
| 2021 | Iowa | 3 | 8-12 | Michael Hussey | Aidan O'Brien | 2:47.69 |
| 2022 | Urban Oasis | 3 | 8-00 | Jamie Powell | John James Feane | 2:52.32 |
| 2023 | Tower of London | 3 | 9-05 | Killian Hennessy | Aidan O'Brien | 2:45.14 |
| 2024 | Going Remote | 3 | 8-07 | Nathan Crosse | Jessica Harrington | 2:45.31 |
| 2025 | Vorfreude | 3 | 8-10 | Gary Carroll | Joseph Murphy | 2:46.17 |
- ^ The 2020 race was run in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
Earlier winners
- 1936: Black Domino
- 1937: Owenstown
- 1948: Soodani
- 1954: Red Winter
- 1962: Atlantis
- 1963: Christmas Island
- 1964: Netherby
- 1965: Newsrullah
- 1966: My Kuda
- 1967: Dan Kano
- 1968: Stitch
- 1969: Onandaga
- 1970: Dubrava
- 1971: Tantoul
- 1972: Falaise
- 1973: French Fable
- 1974: Dumbwaiter
- 1975: Caucasus
- 1976: Captain Memory
- 1977: Transworld
- 1978: Encyclopedia
- 1979: The Bart
- 1980: Sheringham
- 1981: Dance Bid
- 1982: Affiance
- 1983: Sir Simon
- 1984: Sondrio
- 1985: Rising
- 1986: Don Diege
- 1987: Baba Karam
See also
References
- ^ "The first Ulster Derby". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. 31 March 1936. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- Racing Post:
- downroyal.com – Previous winners of the Ulster Derby.
- pedigreequery.com – Ulster Derby – Down Royal.

























































