The Gladness 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 Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 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 four years or older. It is run at the Curragh

Curragh Racecourse

The Curragh Racecourse, usually abbreviated to The Curragh, is Ireland's most important Thoroughbred race track. It is situated on the Curragh plain near Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.- History :...

 over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.

The event is named after Gladness, a successful Irish-trained racehorse in the 1950s. It was established in 1963, and it was initially contested over 1 mile and 2 furlongs. It was cut to 1 mile in 1964, and to its present length in 1970.

For a period the Gladness Stakes was classed at Listed level, and it used to be open to horses aged three or older. It was promoted to Group 3 status in 1987, and the minimum age was raised to four in 2004.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

• Mustameet – 2005, 2007

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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):

• George McGrath – Signa Infesta (1968), Rocked (1969), Pardner (1972), Rare April (1977)

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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...

 (8 wins):

• Vincent O'Brien
  Vincent O'Brien
  Dr. Michael Vincent O'Brien was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history, according to a worldwide vote hosted by the Racing Post newspaper...
  
   – Nijinsky (1970), Minsky (1971), Dapper (1973), Apalachee (1974), Night Alert (1980), Lomond (1983), El Gran Senor (1984), Great Lakes (1990)

Winners since 1981

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Time
1981	Prince Echo	3	Stephen Craine	Liam Browne
1982	Kilian	4	Raymond Carroll	David O'Brien David O'Brien (racehorse trainer) David O'Brien is an Irish former racehorse trainer. He was the son of highly successful trainer Vincent O'Brien. His primary successes included Assert who won the 1982 Irish and French Derbys and Secreto who won the 1984 Epsom Derby, defeating El Gran Senor trained by his father Vincent, making...
1983	Lomond Lomond (horse) Lomond was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1983 Classic 2,000 Guineas Stakes. He was sired by Northern Dancer, the most successful sire of the 20th Century, whom the National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred...	3	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:...	Vincent O'Brien Vincent O'Brien Dr. Michael Vincent O'Brien was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history, according to a worldwide vote hosted by the Racing Post newspaper...
1984	El Gran Senor El Gran Senor El Gran Senor was an American-bred Thoroughbred race horse, foaled at Windfields Farm in Maryland.An outstanding two-year-old who went on to win European classics over a mile and over 12 furlongs, El Gran Senor received a Timeform rated 136...	3	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:...	Vincent O'Brien Vincent O'Brien Dr. Michael Vincent O'Brien was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history, according to a worldwide vote hosted by the Racing Post newspaper...
1985	Caparison	5	Donal Manning	Mick O'Toole
1986	Lidhame	4	Gabriel Curran	Kevin Prendergast	1:30.10
1987	Grey Goddess	4	Stephen Craine	Edward O'Grady	1:34.20
1988	Careafolie	3	Michael Kinane Michael Kinane Michael J. Kinane is a former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009....	Dermot Weld Dermot Weld Dermot K. Weld is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland ....	1:31.00
1989	Rose Reef	5	Ron Quinton	John Oxx John Oxx John M. Oxx is a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. His stables are located on "The Curragh" of Kildare, the stables are named Currabeg Stables. His father, John Oxx Sr., was also a very successful trainer who won eight Irish classics and it was the younger Oxx's ambition to follow in his...	1:36.90
1990	Great Lakes	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...	Vincent O'Brien Vincent O'Brien Dr. Michael Vincent O'Brien was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history, according to a worldwide vote hosted by the Racing Post newspaper...	1:25.10
1991	Mr Brooks Mr Brooks (horse) Mr Brooks was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in the United Kingdom and trained in both Ireland and England in a career that lasted from 1989 to 1992...	4	Pat Shanahan	Kevin Connolly	1:31.10
1992	Bezelle	3	Pat Shanahan	Con Collins	1:32.60
1993	no race 1993
1994	Ridgewood Ben	3	Michael Kinane Michael Kinane Michael J. Kinane is a former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009....	John Oxx John Oxx John M. Oxx is a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. His stables are located on "The Curragh" of Kildare, the stables are named Currabeg Stables. His father, John Oxx Sr., was also a very successful trainer who won eight Irish classics and it was the younger Oxx's ambition to follow in his...	1:36.30
1995	Bin Ajwaad	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:...	Ben Hanbury	1:28.90
1996	Idris	6	Kevin Manning	Jim Bolger Jim Bolger (racehorse trainer) James S. "Jim" Bolger is an Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and breeder based in Coolcullen in County Kilkenny. For many years now he has been recognised as one of the racing greats in Ireland...	1:28.70
1997	Cool Edge	6	Nigel Day	Mark Tompkins Mark Tompkins Mark Tompkins is a British horse racer and trainer. He is currently the chairman of the Newmarket Trainers Federation. He worked as an assistant for the trainers Walter Wharton and Ryan Jarvis before working he began training independently. He has been a trainer at the Flint Cottage Stables for the...	1:25.80
1998	Muchea	4	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...	Mick Channon Mick Channon Michael Roger "Mick" Channon is a sportsman who enjoyed a career as a striker with Southampton and England in the 1970s and later became a hugely successful racehorse trainer.-Southampton:...	1:37.20
1999	Two-Twenty-Two	4	Pat Smullen Pat Smullen Patrick J. Smullen is a jockey and considered one of the top riders in Ireland. He has had many successes through his position as stable jockey to Dermot Weld.-Major wins: Ireland...	Dermot Weld Dermot Weld Dermot K. Weld is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland ....	1:28.80
2000	Giant's Causeway Giant's Causeway (horse) Giant's Causeway is a Kentucky-bred thoroughbred racehorse who competed primarily in Europe. In 2000, he won five straight Group One races. His performance that year earned him European Horse of the Year honors....	3	Michael Kinane Michael Kinane Michael J. Kinane is a former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009....	Aidan O'Brien Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates....	1:30.10
2001	Softly Tread	3	Pat Shanahan	Con Collins	1:38.30
2002	Rebelline	4	Declan McDonogh	Kevin Prendergast	1:31.70
2003	Millennium Force	5	Chris Catlin	Mick Channon Mick Channon Michael Roger "Mick" Channon is a sportsman who enjoyed a career as a striker with Southampton and England in the 1970s and later became a hugely successful racehorse trainer.-Southampton:...	1:24.00
2004	Monsieur Bond	4	Fergal Lynch	Bryan Smart	1:28.50
2005	Mustameet	4	Declan McDonogh	Kevin Prendergast	1:32.50
2006	Common World	7	Fran Berry	Tom Hogan	1:35.90
2007	Mustameet	6	Declan McDonogh	Kevin Prendergast	1:24.20
2008	Jumbajukiba	5	Fran Berry	Jessica Harrington	1:36.61
2009	Mad About You	4	Pat Smullen Pat Smullen Patrick J. Smullen is a jockey and considered one of the top riders in Ireland. He has had many successes through his position as stable jockey to Dermot Weld.-Major wins: Ireland...	Dermot Weld Dermot Weld Dermot K. Weld is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland ....	1:27.59
2010	Kargali	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...	Luke Comer	1:33.03
2011	Lolly for Dolly	4	Wayne Lordan	Tommy Stack Tommy Stack Tommy Stack is a former National Hunt racing jockey and current National Hunt trainer. As a jockey, he is probably best-known for piloting Red Rum to a third Grand National victory. Stack was National Hunt Champion Jockey for the 1974-75 and 1976-77 seasons. He got his first trainer's license in...	1:30.95