01/12/2025
⚡️Irish Champion Stakes Series 2026⚡️
We are pleased to announce our Irish Champion Stakes Series for 2026. This series is for 2,3 & 4 year-old pacers. Following the success of the 2025 event, the prize fund for this series will increase to a staggering €175,000 with an extra €10,000 worth of breeders prizes, making the series the most lucrative for juvenile pacers in the history of the IHRA.
There will be 3 races for each division of the series and there is an individual fund allocated to each division from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. Over 57% of the prize fund for this series will be contributed from DAFM grants (€100k). This series is unique in Ireland and the UK as it is the only series to have this amount of funding outside of stakes fees.
The dates for this series are:
- 28th of June 2026
- 26th of July 2026
- 6th of September 2026
Nominations will close on the 10th of January with the 1st sustaining payment due on the 10th of February and 2nd sustaining payment on the 10th of March.
Similar to this series in 2024 and 2025, there will be no late supplements! All horses intending to run in this series must be nominated by the 10th of January 2026.
Conditions for this series include:
• For all races Fillies and Colts will be separated.
• There will be no entry fee on the day.
• Late Supplements are not accepted all horses intending to run in the series must be nominated by 10th of January 2025.
• Horses nominated will be charged the 1st and 2nd sustaining payments as well unless the office is notified in writing to withdraw these horses before the next payment date.
• All races will be ran over 1 Mile.
• There will be prizemoney paid to 4th and 5th place horses (depending on entries)
• Horses registered in an IHRA or STAGBI studbook are eligible for this series. Breeders Prizes will only be paid to Irish Breeders.
Nominations will be open on our website shortly.
*Prize funds are subject to approval from DAFM and the number of horses staked.
