Geoffrey Freer Stakes

Geoffrey Freer Stakes
Group 3 race
LocationNewbury Racecourse
Newbury, England
Inaugurated1949
Race typeFlat
SponsorBetVictor
WebsiteNewbury
Race information
Distance1m 5f 61y (2,671 m)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old and up
Weight8 st 10 lb (3yo);
9 st 5 lb (4yo+)
Allowances
3 lb for fillies and mares
Penalties
7 lb for Group 1 winners *
5 lb for Group 2 winners *
3 lb for Group 3 winners *
*after 2017
Purse£68,000 (2022)
1st: £40,000
Geoffrey Freer Stakes
2024
Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap White, black seams, white sleeves, black stars, white cap, black star Pink, royal blue stripe, striped sleeves, hooped cap
Al Aasy Al Qareem Go Daddy
Previous years
2023
Green, pink sash and cap, white sleeves White, emerald green hoops, white sleeves and cap Light blue, yellow and light blue halved sleeves
Arrest Ching Shih Shandoz
2022
Light blue, black triple diamond, hooped sleeves Yellow, dark blue sleeves, yellow stars, yellow cap, dark blue star Beige, dark blue armlets, dark blue cap
Zechariah Universal Order Outbox
2021
Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap White, emerald green cross of lorraine, armlets and cap Emerald green, white diamonds on sleeves, white cap
Hukum Rodrigo Diaz Pablo Escobarr
2020-2011
2020
Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap Red, black stripe, striped sleeves White, emerald green striped sleeves
Hukum Max Vega Alignak
2019
Emerald green, maroon chevron, maroon cap Royal blue, white hoop, striped sleeves, white cap, royal blue star Light blue, dark blue armlets, dark blue cap
Technician Morando Durston
2018
Royal blue Light blue, orange epaulets Royal blue, white cap
Hamada Raymond Tusk Walton Street
2017
Yellow, large black spots and spots on cap Dark blue, large yellow spots, halved sleeves, yellow and dark blue quartered cap Royal blue
Defoe Wall of Fire Frontiersman
2016
Green, pink sash and cap, white sleeves Royal blue, white seams, chevrons on sleeves, white cap Royal blue, black and white check sleeves and cap
Kings Fete Ormito Red Cardinal
2015
Yellow, red sash, red cap, yellow star Maroon, black seams and armlets, black and maroon quartered cap Light blue and red diamonds, light blue sleeves, red cap, light blue diamond
Agent Murphy Windshear Red Cadeaux
2014
Yellow, dark blue seams, yellow cap Royal blue Red, yellow hooped sleeves and cap
Seismos Willing Foe Seal Of Approval
2013
Royal blue Light blue and red diamonds, light blue sleeves, red cap, light blue diamond Royal blue, white cap
Royal Empire Red Cadeaux Lost In The Moment
2012
Grey, beige star, grey sleeves, beige stars and stars on cap Turquoise, dark blue cap Royal blue
Mount Athos Brown Panther Modun
2011
Light blue, dark blue armlets, dark blue cap Dark blue, grey triple diamond Black, emerald green sleeves, striped cap
Census Brown Panther Times Up
2010-2001
2010
Mauve and pink check, white sleeves, pink cap Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap Pale blue, white and yellow check cap
Sans Frontieres Laaheb Saptapadi
2009
Royal blue Black, yellow stripe, diabolo on sleeves Royal blue, white cap
Kite Wood Halicarnassus Age Of Reason
2008
Mauve White, Light Green hoop and armlets, hooped cap White, royal blue epaulets, diabolo on sleeves and diamond on cap
Sixties Icon Tempelstern Donegal
2007
Dark blue Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap Mauve, Purple triple diamond and diamond on cap
Papal Bull Shahin Land 'n Stars
2006
Light Green and Yellow check, Yellow cap Royal blue Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap
Admiral's Cruise Guadalajara Munsef
2005
Chocolate, Gold braid and sleeves, quartered cap Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap Orange, Dark Blue sash, diabolo on sleeves, Orange cap
Lochbuie Mubtaker Self Defense
2004
Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap Royal blue, white chevron, light blue cap Orange, black hoop, white cap
Mubtaker Dubai Success Compton Bolter
2003
Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap Royal blue, white chevron, light blue cap Royal blue
Mubtaker Systematic Mamool
2002
Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap Dark blue, grey stars, dark blue cap, grey star Purple, light blue chevron, light blue cap
Mubtaker High Pitched Persian Punch
2001
Black and white diamonds, black cap Grey, red cross of lorraine, hooped sleeves, quartered cap Red, orange chevron, sleeves and cap
Mr Combustible Millenary Kuwait Trooper
2000-1991
2000
Blue, white stripe, maroon sleeves, maroon and white striped cap Maroon, white sleeves, maroon cap, white star Dark green
Murghem Savoire Vivre Yorkshire
1999
Red and blue (quartered), white sleeves, black cap Dark blue, white cross-belts and sleeves, white cap, dark blue spots Maroon, Grey epaulets
Silver Patriarch Craigsteel Sadian
1998
Pale blue, white and yellow check cap Red and blue (quartered), white sleeves, black cap Green, pink sash and cap, white sleeves
Multicoloured Silver Patriarch Memorise
1997
Green, pink sash and cap, white sleeves Emerald green, royal blue sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots Maroon, white sleeves, maroon cap, white star
Dushyantor Panama City Shantou
1996
Purple, gold braid, scarlet sleeves, black velvet cap, gold fringe Orange, Maroon disc, Maroon cap BLACK and WHITE HOOPS, emerald green cap, white star
Phantom Gold Posidonas Song Of Tara
1995
White, emerald green hoop, white cap Maroon, white spots, striped sleeves, spots on cap Dark green, white chevron and sleeves, white cap, green star
Presenting Midnight Legend Don Corleone
1994
Yellow, black spots, yellow sleeves and cap Royal blue, white chevron, light blue cap Brown and orange diamonds, brown sleeves and cap
Red Route Shareek Shambo
1993
Maroon, Grey epaulets Black, yellow cap Maroon, white sleeves, maroon cap, white star
Azzilfi Assessor Sonus
1992
Brown and orange diamonds, brown sleeves and cap Yellow, black hoops on body Royal blue, white chevron, light blue cap
Shambo Sapience Rock Hopper
1991
Eton blue, black hooped cap Black, gold cross and stripe on cap Yellow, light blue stars on body and cap
Drum Taps Spinning Another Bob
1990-1988
1990
Beaver brown, maple leaf green cross belts and cap Emerald Green, Black and Emerald Green striped sleeves, Black cap Purple, pink cross-belts, hooped sleeves, pink cap
Charmer Sesame Mountain Kingdom
1989
Dark green Gold and black check, pink sleeves and cap Royal blue, white epaulets, striped cap
Ibn Bey Apache Alphabel
1988
Royal blue, white hoop on body, striped cap Maroon, white sleeves, maroon cap, white star Red, white sleeves, black and white quartered cap
Top Class Melodist Waterfield
 

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 (5 wins):

  • Frankie Dettori – Charmer (1990), Drum Taps (1991), Phantom Gold (1996), Kite Wood (2009), Arrest (2023)

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 3:01.56
1981 Ardross 5 Lester Piggott Sir Henry Cecil 3:04.71
1982 Ardross 6 Lester Piggott Sir Henry Cecil 2:54.24
1983 Khairpour 4 John Reid Fulke Johnson Houghton 2:52.58
1984 Baynoun 3 Steve Cauthen Fulke Johnson Houghton 2:55.68
1985 Shernazar 4 Walter Swinburn Sir Michael Stoute 2:57.01
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 Sir 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 Sir 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 Sr. 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
2014 Seismos 6 Martin Harley Marco Botti 2:54.77
2015 Agent Murphy 4 Jimmy Fortune Brian Meehan 2:54.39
2016 Kings Fete 5 Pat Smullen Sir Michael Stoute 2:52.97
2017 Defoe 3 Andrea Atzeni Roger Varian 2:51.50
2018 Hamada 4 James Doyle Charlie Appleby 2:51.63
2019 Technician 3 Rob Hornby Martyn Meade 2:55.70
2020 Hukum 3 Jim Crowley Owen Burrows 2:53.42
2021 Hukum 4 Jim Crowley Owen Burrows 2:55.14
2022 Zechariah 3 Tom Marquand Freddie & Martyn Meade 2:36.99
2023 Arrest 3 Frankie Dettori John & Thady Gosden 2:53.79
2024 Al Aasy 7 Jim Crowley William Haggas 2:46.34

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

References

  • galopp-sieger.de – Geoffrey Freer Stakes (ex Oxfordshire Stakes).
  • horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2018).
  • 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.