2023 Phoenix Stakes Trends For Saturday's Curragh Race

You can see below our Phoenix Stakes trends ahead of Saturday’s big Curragh race in Ireland – a prize that trainer Aidan O’Brien holds the world record in for the most Group 1 success in a single race.

The Ballydoyle maestro has won the Phoenix Stakes a staggering 17 times – including last year with the recently retired Little Big Bear.

Aidan O’Brien Has The World Record 17 Wins In Saturday’s Phoenix Stakes

With just one Phoenix Stakes win since 2018, some might argue that the previous dominance by trainer Aidan O’Brien in this Curragh Group One contest is waning.

However, after a four year dry spell between 2019 and 2021, O’Brien bounced back 12 months ago when his Little Big Bear won the 2022 Phoenix Stakes (watch below) – a race that the top Irish handler holds the world record in for most Group One success in a single race.

That victory took the Aidan O’Brien tally to 17 and it’s safe to say he’s not finished yet with two runners for this year’s renewal, including one of the 2023 Phoenix Stakes favourites with the best UK horse racing sites – UNQUESTIONABLE.

This classy Wootton Bassett colt has only raced three times (1 wins) and was last seen running second to another Phoenix Stakes entry Bucanero Fuerte in the Group 2 Railway Stakes. (See the Aidan O’Brien full entries below).

Aidan O’Brien Phoenix Stakes Wins (17): Lavery (1998), Fasliyev (1999), Minardi (2000), Johannesburg (2001), Spartacus (2002), One Cool Cat (2003), George Washington (2005), Holy Roman Emperor (2006), Mastercraftsman (2008), Alfred Nobel (2009), Zoffany (2010), Pedro the Great (2012), Dick Whittington (2014), Air Force Blue (2015), Caravaggio (2016), Sioux Nation (2017), Little Big Bear (2022)

Trainer John Scott held the previous G1 wins record, which had stood for 161 years before O’Brien broke it.

Scott had the record with 16 wins in the Group One St Leger, the oldest and final of the five English Classics held each year.

Phoenix Stakes Trends: 33% Of Favourites Have Won Since 2002

20/21 – Had won over 6 or 7f before
20/21 – Had run in a Group race before
19/21 – Won by an Irish-based trainer
19/21 – Finished in the top two last time out
18/21 – Previous winners over 6f
16/21 – Had won at least two races before
15/21 – Placed favourites
15/21 – Returned 4/1 or shorter in the betting
15/21 – Had 3 or more previous runs that season
13/21 – Winning distance of 1 length or less
13/21 – Trained by Aidan O’Brien (6 of the last 11)
13/21 – Had won a Group 2 or 3 before
12/21 – Had won at the Curragh before
12/21 – Ran at the Curragh last time out
10/21 – Won by either a March or April foal
7/21 – Winning favourites
7/21 – Won by a March foal
5/21 – Returned a double-figure price in the betting
3/21 – Ran Leopardstown last time out
2/21 – Ridden by Shane Foley (2 of last 3 runnings)
The average winning SP in the last 10 runnings is 4/1

When Is The 2023 Phoenix Stakes?

🕙Time: 4:40pm
📅Date: Saturday 12th Aug 2023
🏇Racecourse: Curragh
📺 TV: Sky Racing / TG4/ ITV4

Aidan O’Brien Phoenix Stakes Runners 2023

Unquestionable: CD winner and a short-head second in the G2 Railway Stakes at the track last time – expected to be the main runner for Ballydoyle in the race
His Majesty: 1 win from 5 starts, 4th in the Norfolk Stakes and runner-up in a Group 2 in France last time

2023 Phoenix Stakes Betting

See below the latest Phoenix Stakes betting odds from Paddy Power

Porta Fortuna 9/4
Bucanero Fuerte 9/4
Unquestionable 9/4
Givemethebeatboys 6/1
Gaenari 20/1
His Majesty 20/1
Launch 33/1

Note: Odds are subject to change

Phoenix Stakes Winners (Last 10 Years)

2022 – Little Big Bear (13/8)
2021 – Ebro River (12/1)
2020 – Lucky Vega (4/1)
2019 – Siskin (10/11 fav)
2018 – Advertise (11/10 fav)
2017 – Sioux Nation (2/1)
2016 – Caravaggio (1/8 fav)
2015 – Air Force Blue (9/4)
2014 – Dick Whittington (6/1)
2013 – Sudirman (4/1)

WATCH: Little Big Bear Winning The 2022 Phoenix Stakes

Related Horse Racing Content:

Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!

Andy Newton

Horse racing, sports betting tipster and journalist that uses key trends and stats to find winners, plus new betting angles for readers. Andy Newton has leading industry contacts, including with some of the best horse racing stables in the UK with his long association with TrainersQuotes and FromTheStables. Has written for GeeGeez and BetBright, plus was the former sports betting editor of odds comparison site Easyodds and Juicestorm. Has also appeared on betting podcasts for MatchBook and has featured in the popular Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Guide. Andy's ghost written for former top jockey Richard Dunwoody too and has a monthly column in the Racing Ahead horse racing magazine. Now a regular on SportsLens, giving his views, trends and tips mainly on horse racing (US & UK) and football (soccer), plus specializes in long form SEO sports betting content for news, tips and all things betting on any sport. If there's a stat to be explored and it's a sport, Andy will find a betting angle.

View All Posts By Andy Newton