The Pretty Polly Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.
The Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs, and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.
Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Rosegreen in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates. He is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest horse racing trainers of all time.
Mumtaz Mahal was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who was champion two-year-old, champion sprinter, Horse of the Year and a highly successful broodmare.
James Anthony "Seamie" Heffernan is an Irish flat racing jockey associated for most of his career with the stable of horse racing trainer Aidan O'Brien. From a family with no racing connections, Heffernan was introduced to the sport when he took a summer holiday job with the National Hunt trainer Arthur Moore. He began his racing career as an apprentice jockey for P J Finn and rode his first winner on 10 August 1988 at the age of sixteen. When Finn retired he moved to the yard of Jim Bolger and shared the Irish champion apprentices title in 1994. He was runner-up in the same competition in 1995 and moved to Aidan O'Brien's Ballydoyle stable in 1996 where he was second jockey after Christy Roche.
Misty for Me is an Irish champion Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She won three of her five starts as a two-year-old including the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Prix Marcel Boussac, the most important races for two-year-old fillies in Ireland and France respectively. She was named European Champion Two-year old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. As a three-year-old she finished unplaced in both the 1000 Guineas and The Oaks but won the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Pretty Polly Stakes. In the latter race she defeated the leading British mare Midday by six lengths.
Imagine was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the Irish 1000 Guineas and The Oaks in 2001. In a racing career which lasted from August 2000 to June 2001 the filly ran ten times and won four races. As a two-year-old, Imagine ran six times, winning the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh and finishing second in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket. The following spring, the filly was beaten in her first two races before winning the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh. Imagine recorded her most valuable success on her final appearance, winning the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. She never raced again, but proved to be a successful broodmare.
Halfway to Heaven is a retired Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and an active broodmare. After winning one minor race as a two-year-old in 2007, she emerged as one of the leading fillies in Europe the following year, recording Group One successes in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Nassau Stakes and Sun Chariot Stakes. She was retired from racing at the end of the year having won four of her nine races and became a successful broodmore, producing two Group One-winning daughters.
Marvellous is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Irish 1,000 Guineas at The Curragh by three lengths. She is trained by Aidan O'Brien and owned by Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor.
Tapestry foaled 18 January 2011 is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She ran three times as a two-year-old, winning on her first two starts including the Debutante Stakes. Her greatest success came in 2014 when she won the 2014 Yorkshire Oaks ending the Oaks and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Taghrooda's unbeaten record. She will stay in training as a 4 year old in 2015.
Qualify is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. On 5 June 2015 she was a 50/1 winner of The Oaks. She ran seven times as a juvenile in 2014, winning a maiden race and the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes but was well-beaten when tried against the best fillies of her generation in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. In the spring of 2015 she was initially disappointing as she finished unplaced in both the 1000 Guineas and the Irish 1,000 Guineas before being stepped up in distance and winning the Oaks.
Lillie Langtry is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Bred at a small stud in County Cork she was sold as a yearling and raced for the Coolmore organisation. As a two-year-old, she was one of the best juvenile fillies in Ireland winning three of her seven races including the Fillies' Sprint Stakes, Debutante Stakes and Tattersalls Timeform Fillies' 800 as well as finishing third in both the Albany Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She was injured when finishing unplaced in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. In 2010 she recorded her biggest wins when achieving Group One victories in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown. She was retired at the end of the year with a record of five wins from eleven races and has become a successful broodmare, producing three Classic race-winning daughters.
Minding is a champion Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2016 European Horse of the Year after winning the Epsom Oaks, 1000 Guineas, and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Yesterday was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed considerable promise as a two-year-old in 2002, winning a maiden race and being placed in the Debutante Stakes and the Rockfel Stakes before taking the Eyrefield Stakes. In the following spring she won the Irish 1000 Guineas and appeared an unlucky loser when narrowly beaten in The Oaks. She failed to win again but finished placed in the Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Opéra and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Fairyland is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She was one of the best two-year-old fillies in Europe in 2018 when her wins included the Marble Hill Stakes, Lowther Stakes and Cheveley Park Stakes. In the following year she won the Flying Five Stakes and ran well in several major sprint races.
Iridessa is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2018 she was one of the best fillies of her generation in Europe, winning the Group 1 Fillies' Mile. In the following year she was beaten in her first three races but then recorded further major win in the Pretty Polly Stakes, Matron Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Hermosa is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed very good form as a juvenile in 2018 when she won two of her seven races including the Weld Park Stakes as well as finishing second in both the Fillies' Mile and the Critérium International and third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She improved in the following spring to record Group 1 victories in the 1000 Guineas and the Irish 1000 Guineas.
Empress Josephine is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She did not race as a two-year-old in 2020, but in the Spring of the following year she won a maiden race on her debut and recorded an upset win in the Irish 1000 Guineas.
Joan of Arc is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. After finishing second on her only start as a juvenile in 2020 she improved in the following year to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas Trial and run second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before taking the Prix de Diane in France. She went on to run third in the Nassau Stakes.
Tuesday is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She finished second on her only run as a two-year-old and won a minor race on her three-year-old debut. She then emerged as a top-class performer, finishing third in the 1000 Guineas and second in the Irish 1000 Guineas before winning the Epsom Oaks and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland in the US.
