ASCOT

  Badges through the decades

Brief History

Ascot Racecourse is founded. It was Queen Anne who first saw the potential of a racecourse for Ascot, which in those days was known at East Cote. It was while she was out riding from Windsor Castle that she saw the ground which she felt would make a good racecourse. The first race meeting ever held at Ascot took place on Saturday, August 11, 1711. Her Majesty’s Plate, worth 100 guineas was the inaugural event, open to any horse, mare or gelding over the age of six. Each horse was required to carry a weight of 12st and seven runners took part.

1714

Queen Anne dies on 1^st August and the meeting is postponed, and later abandoned for the year. The new racecourse starts to struggle to bring in the crowds.

1764

The great Eclipse, then a 5 year old, wins a Nobleman’s Plate.

1790

First occasion in which reference is made to the term ‘Royal Enclosure’. A temporary stand was established during the Royal Meeting. Entrance to this exclusive area was strictly by invitation only from King George III himself.

1791

Prince of Wales wins a race at Ascot, the Oatlands Stakes, with his horse Baronet. Over 40000 are present at the course to witness the victory.

The first running of the Ascot Gold Cup over 2 1/2 miles.

1825

The Royal procession takes place at the meeting for the first time, starting from Windsor Castle.

1813

Parliament passed an Act of Enclosure. This act ensured that Ascot Heath, although property of the crown, would be kept and used as a racecourse for the public in the future. The inaugural running of the Wokingham Stakes, and the Duke of York’s Pointers is triumphant.

1839

Queen’s Vase is run for the first time, with the winner taking home a vase donated by Queen Victoria.

1843

The inaugural running of the Royal Hunt Cup is won by Knight of the Thistle, owned by Lord Chesterfield.

1845 -1853

The Gold Cup is renamed the Emperor’s Plate in honour of Czar Nicholas I of Russia. It came as no surprise that the name reverted to the Gold Cup when the Crimean War took place.

1865

The French horse, Gladiateur, wins the Ascot Gold Cup by 40 lengths.

1878

The Rous Memorial Stakes is run for the first time.

1879

The Windsor Castle Stakes and the Hardwicke Stakes are run for the first time.

1883

St Simon wins the Gold Cup.

1897

Persimmon, son of St Simon, wins the Gold Cup the year after being triumphant in the Derby and the St Leger.

1913

Ascot Authority, which still manages the racecourse today, came in to being in this year, created by an Act of Parliament. Also in this year a male supporter of the suffragettes tried to follow Emily Davidson’s lead by bringing down a horse called Tracery. Fortunately it did not have the same tragic outcome as when Anmer was brought down in the Derby.

1929

Brown Jack, ridden by Steve Donoghue, won the Queen Alexandra and went on to repeat the victory in each of the next 4 years.

Pre 1945

The only racing to take place at Ascot, up to this point, was the four day Royal Meeting.

1955

New straight mile course opened.

1959

Tragedy strikes Ascot when jockey Manny Mercer is thrown from Priddy Fair and dies.

1961

Tattersalls Stand is opened at a cost in excess of £1 million.

1964

The Royal Enclosure is built.

1965

First jump meeting held in April of this year, with the turf for the track coming from Hurst Park.

1975

Probably the greatest race ever seen at Ascot, sees Grundy and Bustino have a fantastic struggle before Grundy finally triumphs.