Geoffrey Freer Stakes
Group 3 race | |
---|---|
Geoffrey Freer Stakes | |
Location | Newbury Racecourse Newbury, England |
Inaugurated | 1949 |
Race type | Flat |
Sponsor | Betfred |
Website | Newbury |
Race information | |
Distance | 1m 5f 61y (2,671 m) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Three-years-old and up |
Weight | 8 st 7 lb (3yo); 9 st 4 lb (4yo+) Allowances 3 lb for fillies and mares Penalties 6 lb for Group 1 winners * 4 lb for Group 2 winners * 2 lb for Group 3 winners * * at 1½ miles or over after November 1 2012 |
Purse | £60,000 (2013) 1st: £34,026 |
The Geoffrey Freer Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 5 furlongs and 61 yards (2,671 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.
History
The event was established in 1949, and it was originally called the Oxfordshire Stakes. It was founded by Geoffrey Freer, a Jockey Club handicapper who served as the manager of Newbury Racecourse. The venue had been used as an American military supply depot during World War II, and Freer restored the course in the post-war period. The race was renamed in his honour in 1969, the year after his death.
For a period the Geoffrey Freer Stakes was classed at Group 2 level. It was relegated to its current status, Group 3, in 2006.
The leading three-year-olds from the race sometimes go on to compete in the following month's St. Leger Stakes.
Records
Most successful horse (3 wins):
- Mubtaker – 2002, 2003, 2004
Leading jockey (4 wins):
- Lester Piggott – Court Command (1956), Valinsky (1977), Ardross (1981, 1982)
- Pat Eddery – Realistic (1974), Consol (1975), Moon Madness (1987), Silver Patriarch (1999)
- Frankie Dettori – Charmer (1990), Drum Taps (1991), Phantom Gold (1996), Kite Wood (2009)
Leading trainer (5 wins):
- Noel Murless – Ridge Wood (1949), Court Command (1956), Hopeful Venture (1967), Rangong (1969), Attica Meli (1973)
Winners since 1979
Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1979 | Niniski | 3 | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | 2:53.35 |
1980 | Nicholas Bill | 5 | Philip Waldron | Henry Candy | 3:01.60 |
1981 | Ardross | 5 | Lester Piggott | Henry Cecil | 3:04.40 |
1982 | Ardross | 6 | Lester Piggott | Henry Cecil | 2:54.20 |
1983 | Khairpour | 4 | John Reid | Fulke Johnson Houghton | 2:52.60 |
1984 | Baynoun | 3 | Steve Cauthen | Fulke Johnson Houghton | 2:55.60 |
1985 | Shernazar | 4 | Walter Swinburn | Michael Stoute | |
1986 | Bakharoff | 3 | Willie Carson | Guy Harwood | 2:50.82 |
1987 | Moon Madness | 4 | Pat Eddery | John Dunlop | 2:47.16 |
1988 | Top Class | 3 | Michael Roberts | Clive Brittain | 2:54.57 |
1989 | Ibn Bey | 5 | Richard Quinn | Paul Cole | 2:50.62 |
1990 | Charmer | 5 | Frankie Dettori | Clive Brittain | 2:55.24 |
1991 | Drum Taps | 5 | Frankie Dettori | Lord Huntingdon | 2:45.16 |
1992 | Shambo | 5 | Michael Roberts | Clive Brittain | 3:01.98 |
1993 | Azzilfi | 3 | Willie Carson | John Dunlop | 2:56.75 |
1994 | Red Route | 3 | Willie Ryan | Henry Cecil | 2:50.38 |
1995 | Presenting | 3 | John Reid | John Gosden | 2:47.43 |
1996 | Phantom Gold | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Lord Huntingdon | 2:46.18 |
1997 | Dushyantor | 4 | Kieren Fallon | Henry Cecil | 2:55.33 |
1998 | Multicoloured | 5 | Willie Ryan | Sir Michael Stoute | 2:49.61 |
1999 | Silver Patriarch | 5 | Pat Eddery | John Dunlop | 2:50.62 |
2000 | Murghem | 5 | Darryll Holland | Mark Johnston | 2:50.24 |
2001 | Mr Combustible | 3 | Michael Hills | Barry Hills | 2:46.36 |
2002 | Mubtaker | 5 | Richard Hills | Marcus Tregoning | 2:45.46 |
2003 | Mubtaker | 6 | Richard Hills | Marcus Tregoning | 2:47.76 |
2004 | Mubtaker | 7 | Richard Hills | Marcus Tregoning | 2:50.69 |
2005 | Lochbuie | 4 | John Egan | Geoff Wragg | 2:51.97 |
2006 | Admiral's Cruise | 4 | Ryan Moore | Brian Meehan | 2:52.42 |
2007 | Papal Bull | 4 | Ryan Moore | Sir Michael Stoute | 2:53.89 |
2008 | Sixties Icon | 5 | Johnny Murtagh | Jeremy Noseda | 2:51.55 |
2009 | Kite Wood | 3 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | 2:48.87 |
2010 | Sans Frontieres | 4 | Johnny Murtagh | Jeremy Noseda | 2:52.22 |
2011 | Census | 3 | Richard Hughes | Richard Hannon | 2:48.46 |
2012 | Mount Athos | 5 | Ryan Moore | Luca Cumani | 2:49.20 |
2013 | Royal Empire | 4 | Kieren Fallon | Saeed bin Suroor | 2:50.43 |
Earlier winners
- 1949: Ridge Wood
- 1950: Tilloy
- 1951: Le Sage
- 1952: Westinform
- 1953: Harwin
- 1954: Umberto
- 1955: True Cavalier
- 1956: Court Command
- 1957: Court Harwell
- 1958: Owen Glendower
- 1959: Kalydon
- 1960: High Hat
- 1961: Sagacity
- 1962: Sovrango
- 1963: Sovrango
- 1964: Sunseeker
- 1965: Court Gift
- 1966: Charlottown
- 1967: Hopeful Venture
- 1968: Levmoss
- 1969: Rangong
- 1970: High Line
- 1971: High Line
- 1972: Sol'Argent
- 1973: Attica Meli
- 1974: Realistic
- 1975: Consol
- 1976: Swell Fellow
- 1977: Valinsky
- 1978: Ile de Bourbon
See also
- Horseracing in Great Britain
- List of British flat horse races
- Recurring sporting events established in 1949 – this race is included under its original title, Oxfordshire Stakes.
References
- galopp-sieger.de – Geoffrey Freer Stakes (ex Oxfordshire Stakes).
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2011).
- pedigreequery.com – Geoffrey Freer Stakes – Newbury.
- Abelson, Edward; John Tyrrel (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 147–148. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.