The 108th running of the Irish Derby was held on Saturday 30th June 1973 over 1 mile 4 furlongs of The Curragh. Subscriptions were £295 with a pot of £30,000 added. The winner was owned by Mr Seamus McGrath, bred in Ireland by the McGrath Trust Company, trained by Seamus McGrath at Sandyford in Ireland and ridden by George McGrath. The winner won by 2 1/2 lengths in 2 minutes 32 seconds, with 1 1/2 lengths between second and third. |
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IRISH DERBY 1973
WEAVERS' HALL (Bay colt by Busted out of Marians) SR 1876
The winning owner won £62,495, (The equivalent of £718,500 in today's terms based on Bank of England inflation calculator). |
 
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|
| Pos. |
Horse |
Weight |
Jockey |
Owner |
Trainer |
| 1 |
WEAVERS' HALL |
9.0 |
George McGrath |
Mr Seamus McGrath |
Seamus McGrath |
| 2 |
RAGAPAN |
9.0 |
Bill Williamson |
Mr F O'Sullivan |
Kevin Prendergast |
| 3 |
BUOY |
9.0 |
Joe Mercer |
Mr Richard Hollingsworth |
Dick Hern |
| 4 |
HAIL THE PIRATES |
9.0 |
Lester Piggott |
Mr Daniel Galbreath |
M Vincent O'Brien |
| 5 |
KSAR |
9.0 |
Willie Carson |
Lady Rothwick |
Bernard Van Custem |
| 6 |
NATSUN |
9.0 |
Freddie Head |
Mr N Cohen |
Barry Hills |
| 7 |
STAR APPEAL |
9.0 |
Hilton Cope |
Mrs Maria Mehl-Muelhens |
John Oxx |
| 8 |
NORTH WALL |
9.0 |
Patrick Sullivan |
Mr Raymond Eastwood |
Michael O'Toole |
| 9 |
LAURENTIAN HILLS |
9.0 |
Greville Starkey |
Mrs J F C Boyce |
Robert Armstrong |
| 10 |
DECIMO |
9.0 |
Christy Roche |
Lady Iveagh |
Paddy Prendergast |
| 11 |
FREEFOOT |
9.0 |
Jimmy Lindley |
Mr R B Moller |
Harry Wragg |
| 12 |
TALL NOBLE |
9.0 |
Thomas Murphy |
Mr Nelson Bunker Hunt |
Ted Curtin |
| 13 |
ALCHOPAL |
9.0 |
John Roe |
Mr Matthew Gallagher |
Chris Grassick |
| 14 |
TEKOAH |
9.0 |
Gabrial Curran |
Mr Bernard Moss |
Kevin Prendergast |
| 15 |
PARK LAWN |
9.0 |
Ryan Parnell |
Mr Joseph McGrath |
Seamus McGrath |
| |
Betting |
TRAINER PROFILE
Seamus McGrath was born into a family steeped in racing history being the son of Joseph McGrath, considered to be one of Ireland's greatest men of the Turf. Seamus won many accolades as a trainer and was crowned champion Irish trainer on 4 occasions. He won the Irish Derby twice, firstly in 1955 with Panaslipper (SR 2011) and again in 1973 with Weavers Hall (SR 1876). He also won the other 4 Irish Classic races, the 1957 Oaks with Silken Glider, the 1964 1000 Guineas with Royal Danseuse, the 1970 St Leger with Allangrange, and the 1974 2000 Guineas with Furry Glen. Seamus eventually retired from the training ranks in 1983 and died at the age of 83. |
| 11/4 fav |
Hail The Pirates |
| 7/2 |
Ragapan |
| 4/1 |
Buoy |
| 5/1 |
Ksar |
| 13/2 |
Freefoot |
| 16/1 |
Natsun |
| 16/1 |
Laurentian Hills |
| 33/1 |
Weavers' Hall |
| 40/1 |
Decimo |
| 80/1 |
North Wall |
| 200/1 |
Tall Noble |
| 200/1 |
Alchopal |
| 200/1 |
Star Appeal |
| 200/1 |
Tekoah |
| 200/1 |
Park Lawn |
| |
Over round 118% |
| FORMLINE:- Weavers' Hall was an unexpected winner getting home by an impressive 2 1/2 lengths in 2 minutes 32 seconds. In a career spanning 10 races, he managed just two wins. |
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