Geoffrey Freer Stakes - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Geoffrey Freer Stakes is a Group 3

Conditions races

Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...

flat

Flat racing

Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...

horse race

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

in Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

open to thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

s aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury

Newbury Racecourse

Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...

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

Jockey Club

The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...

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

St. Leger Stakes

The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

Mubtaker – 2002, 2003, 2004

----
Leading jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

(4 wins):

Lester Piggott
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....

– Court Command (1956), Valinsky (1977), Ardross (1981, 1982)
Pat Eddery
Pat Eddery
Patrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...

– Realistic (1974), Consol (1975), Moon Madness (1987), Silver Patriarch (1999)
Frankie Dettori
Frankie Dettori
Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...

– Charmer (1990), Drum Taps (1991), Phantom Gold (1996), Kite Wood (2009)

----
Leading trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

(5 wins):

Noel Murless
Noel Murless
Sir Charles Francis Noel Murless began his career as a racehorse trainer in 1935 at Hambleton Lodge in Yorkshire before moving to Hambleton House after the war, at one time sharing premises with the equally legendary Ryan Price...

– 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 Willie Carson William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...	Dick Hern Dick Hern William Richard "Dick" Hern, CVO, was an English Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and winner of sixteen British Classic Races between 1962 and 1995, and was Champion Trainer on four occasions....	2:53.35
1980	Nicholas Bill	5	Philip Waldron	Henry Candy	3:01.60
1981	Ardross Ardross (horse) Ardross was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was a co-holder of the record for consecutive wins in European racing. Ardross was bred by trainer Paddy Prendergast for his American owner Elisabeth Ireland Poe who was also the breeder of Meadow Court. His sire was Run the Gantlet, a son of U.S. Racing...	5	Lester Piggott Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....	Henry Cecil Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....	3:04.40
1982	Ardross Ardross (horse) Ardross was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was a co-holder of the record for consecutive wins in European racing. Ardross was bred by trainer Paddy Prendergast for his American owner Elisabeth Ireland Poe who was also the breeder of Meadow Court. His sire was Run the Gantlet, a son of U.S. Racing...	6	Lester Piggott Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....	Henry Cecil Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....	2:54.20
1983	Khairpour	4	John Reid John A. Reid John Andrew Reid John Andrew Reid John Andrew Reid (born August 6, 1955 in Banbridge County Down, Northern Ireland is a retired flat race jockey.Reid served as an apprentice in his native Ireland to Leslie Crawford, before moving to England and joining Verley Bewicke. His first Classic victory came...	Fulke Johnson Houghton	2:52.60
1984	Baynoun	3	Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen is a retired American jockey.Cauthen, the son of a trainer and a farrier, grew up in Walton, Kentucky around horses, which made race-riding a logical career choice. He rode his first race on May 12, 1976 at Churchill Downs; he finished last, riding King of Swat...	Fulke Johnson Houghton	2:55.60
1985	Shernazar	4	Walter Swinburn Walter Swinburn Walter R. Swinburn is a retired flat racing jockey who competed in Great Britain and Ireland as well as internationally.Swinburn was born in Oxford...	Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...
1986	Bakharoff	3	Willie Carson Willie Carson William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...	Guy Harwood Guy Harwood Guy Harwood is a retired British racehorse trainer. Harwood was born in Pulborough, West Sussex, in 1939. Harwood began riding at the age of 18 and won 40 point-to-point races and 14 National Hunt races over the next few years...	2:50.82
1987	Moon Madness	4	Pat Eddery Pat Eddery Patrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...	John Dunlop John L. Dunlop John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....	2:47.16
1988	Top Class	3	Michael Roberts Michael Roberts (jockey) Michael Roberts is a South African jockey currently residing in Suffolk, England, with his wife Verna and two daughters, Melanie and Carolyn. Roberts has had a successful career, winning many English and South African races multiple times. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey in 1992...	Clive Brittain Clive Brittain Clive Brittain is a British race-horse trainer. He began training as an apprentice in 1949, and on his own as a licensed trainer in the early 1970s. He currently trains at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk...	2:54.57
1989	Ibn Bey	5	Richard Quinn	Paul Cole Paul Cole Paul F. I. Cole is a British racehorse trainer. Since 1987 he has been based at Whatcombe Estate in Oxfordshire, the former stables of Dick Dawson and Arthur Budgett....	2:50.62
1990	Charmer	5	Frankie Dettori Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...	Clive Brittain Clive Brittain Clive Brittain is a British race-horse trainer. He began training as an apprentice in 1949, and on his own as a licensed trainer in the early 1970s. He currently trains at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk...	2:55.24
1991	Drum Taps Drum Taps (horse) Drum Taps was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He was a noted stayer, showing his best form over distances in excess of two miles, but was also successful over shorter distances. He won England’s most important staying race, the Ascot Gold Cup in 1992 and 1993. In 1992 he was named European...	5	Frankie Dettori Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...	Lord Huntingdon	2:45.16
1992	Shambo	5	Michael Roberts Michael Roberts (jockey) Michael Roberts is a South African jockey currently residing in Suffolk, England, with his wife Verna and two daughters, Melanie and Carolyn. Roberts has had a successful career, winning many English and South African races multiple times. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey in 1992...	Clive Brittain Clive Brittain Clive Brittain is a British race-horse trainer. He began training as an apprentice in 1949, and on his own as a licensed trainer in the early 1970s. He currently trains at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk...	3:01.98
1993	Azzilfi	3	Willie Carson Willie Carson William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...	John Dunlop John L. Dunlop John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....	2:56.75
1994	Red Route	3	Willie Ryan Willie Ryan Willie Ryan is a flat racing jockey from Ireland who has been based in the United Kingdom for most of his career.Ryan was apprenticed to the trainer Reg Hollinshead and won his first race at Windsor Racecourse in 1982. He was joint British flat racing Champion Apprentice in 1985...	Henry Cecil Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....	2:50.38
1995	Presenting	3	John Reid John A. Reid John Andrew Reid John Andrew Reid John Andrew Reid (born August 6, 1955 in Banbridge County Down, Northern Ireland is a retired flat race jockey.Reid served as an apprentice in his native Ireland to Leslie Crawford, before moving to England and joining Verley Bewicke. His first Classic victory came...	John Gosden John Gosden John Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of...	2:47.43
1996	Phantom Gold	4	Frankie Dettori Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...	Lord Huntingdon	2:46.18
1997	Dushyantor	4	Kieren Fallon Kieren Fallon Kieren Francis Fallon is a professional flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times....	Henry Cecil Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....	2:55.33
1998	Multicoloured	5	Willie Ryan Willie Ryan Willie Ryan is a flat racing jockey from Ireland who has been based in the United Kingdom for most of his career.Ryan was apprenticed to the trainer Reg Hollinshead and won his first race at Windsor Racecourse in 1982. He was joint British flat racing Champion Apprentice in 1985...	Sir Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...	2:49.61
1999	Silver Patriarch Silver Patriarch Silver Patriarch was a racehorse, winner of the 1997 St Leger and of seven other races. He was ridden by Pat Eddery in all but three of his races....	5	Pat Eddery Pat Eddery Patrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...	John Dunlop John L. Dunlop John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....	2:50.62
2000	Murghem	5	Darryll Holland Darryll Holland Darryll Paul Holland is a United Kingdom flat racing jockey who has ridden for trainers such as Luca Cumani, Geoff Wragg, and Mark Johnston....	Mark Johnston	2:50.24
2001	Mr Combustible	3	Michael Hills	Barry Hills Barry Hills Barry Hills is a British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.-Biography:Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage: John, Michael, and Richard. John is a horse trainer, and both Michael and Richard are jockeys. After his divorce, he married Penny Hills, and had two more...	2:46.36
2002	Mubtaker	5	Richard Hills	Marcus Tregoning Marcus Tregoning Marcus Tregoning is a horse racing jockey who worked in an apprenticeship under Dick Hern. Tregoning began training horses by himself in the year 1997, originally starting with 50 horses.-Notable Races and Wins:...	2:45.46
2003	Mubtaker	6	Richard Hills	Marcus Tregoning Marcus Tregoning Marcus Tregoning is a horse racing jockey who worked in an apprenticeship under Dick Hern. Tregoning began training horses by himself in the year 1997, originally starting with 50 horses.-Notable Races and Wins:...	2:47.76
2004	Mubtaker	7	Richard Hills	Marcus Tregoning Marcus Tregoning Marcus Tregoning is a horse racing jockey who worked in an apprenticeship under Dick Hern. Tregoning began training horses by himself in the year 1997, originally starting with 50 horses.-Notable Races and Wins:...	2:50.69
2005	Lochbuie	4	John Egan	Geoff Wragg Geoff Wragg Geoff Wragg was a Thoroughbred horse trainer who trained champion horses such as Teenoso and Jeune. He is the son of former jockey and trainer Harry Wragg, from whom he took over the licence at Abington Place, Newmarket in 1983 upon his father's retirement. Wragg retired in 2008 after 25 years of...	2:51.97
2006	Admiral's Cruise	4	Ryan Moore	Brian Meehan	2:52.42
2007	Papal Bull	4	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...	2:53.89
2008	Sixties Icon	5	Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh is a Irish flat racing jockey from Bohermeen, Navan, County Meath.He excels on the big stage, having won many Group 1 races around the world...	Jeremy Noseda Jeremy Noseda Jeremy Noseda is a British racehorse trainer.After six years working for John Dunlop, and five years as assistant to John Gosden, he joined Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation in late 1993, and played a significant role in training such horses as Lammtarra, Halling and Balanchine.He started...	2:51.55
2009	Kite Wood	3	Frankie Dettori Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...	Saeed bin Suroor Saeed bin Suroor Saeed bin Suroor , is a horse racing trainer. Formerly a policeman, he took out his training license in 1994 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation....	2:48.87
2010	Sans Frontieres	4	Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh is a Irish flat racing jockey from Bohermeen, Navan, County Meath.He excels on the big stage, having won many Group 1 races around the world...	Jeremy Noseda Jeremy Noseda Jeremy Noseda is a British racehorse trainer.After six years working for John Dunlop, and five years as assistant to John Gosden, he joined Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation in late 1993, and played a significant role in training such horses as Lammtarra, Halling and Balanchine.He started...	2:52.22
2011	Census	3	Richard Hughes Richard Hughes (jockey) Richard Hughes is an Irish flat jockey who most commonly rides in Great Britain. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. His main provider of rides has been trainer Richard Hannon who is also his father in law andfrom 2001 to 2007 he was also retained by...	Richard Hannon Richard Hannon Richard Hannon is a British horse trainer based in East Everleigh Stables, Marlborough, Wiltshire.Hannon's family has a tradition of horse training—his father was also a horse trainer, his son Richard is currently the assistant trainer, and his son-in-law Richard Hughes is the stable jockey. ...	2:48.46

History

Records

Winners since 1979

See also