Royal Ascot: Churchill Stakes

The Hampton Court Stakes, a Group 3 race over 1 mile 2 furlongs, has been run under different titles for some considerable time, starting out as the ungraded Churchill Stakes, over 1 mile 4 furlongs, on the Saturday of the Ascot Heath fixture. Historically, the Churchill Stakes began as a 2 mile race in 1922 before being reduced to a mile and a half in 1950. The race was given Listed status in 1999 when it had a name change to the New Stakes, confusingly a former name of the Norfolk Stakes, and the distance was reduced to 1 mile 2 furlongs a year later in 2000. The race was then switched to the third day of the Royal meeting in 2002, when the meeting was extended to five days to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, that year running as the New Stakes, but for the Royal meeting it was renamed the Hampton Court Stakes. The extension of Royal Ascot was initially intended to be for one year only, but the extra day was such a success that it was retained thereafter. The race is now regularly titled the Hampton Court Stakes, named after the Tudor Royal residence of Hampton Court, although the race was promoted to Group 3 level and renamed the Tercentenary Stakes in 2011. Its new title was introduced to mark the 300th anniversary of Ascot Racecourse, which staged its first race meeting in 1711, but in 2017 the race reverted to its previous name, the Hampton Court Stakes.
Early history:- On Thursday 15th June 1922 the Churchill Stakes for 4-year-olds over 2 miles was won by The Winter King, owned by Lord Rosebery and ridden by Charlie Elliott, who defeated Glorioso and Arquebus by a head and a distance. On Saturday 17th June 1950 Ascot was extended to a fifth day for the first time in its history, and the feature of that Ascot Heath card was the Churchill Stakes over a mile and a half which was won by the Harry Wragg trained Jai Mahal (7/2 jt fav) who beat Royal Drake (10/1) and Solar (100/7) by a neck and 3 lengths.

Churchill Stakes 1978 Stakes 1 1/2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 NOBLE QUILLO L Piggott M V O'Brien Mrs W Haefner 9/4 fav
2 KING FOR A DAY P Eddery Paul Cole Mr J Manley 6/1
3 PRAGMATIC John Reid R Houghton Mr J Bowles 33/1
4 SON FILS W Carson R Hannon Mrs B Davis 4/1
5 ARBUSTO J Mercer H Cecil Mr C D'Alessio 6/1
6 SWISS MAID G Starkey P Kelleway Mr M Fine 16/1
7 NICHOLAS BILL P Waldron H Candy Mr W Barnett 16/1
8 CRESTED GREBE G Lewis B Hobbs Eva, Lady Rosebery 8/1
9 WAR WHOOP B Taylor H Wragg Mr R Moller 33/1
The Churchill Stakes was reduced to 1 1/2 miles over the Swinley Course on Saturday 24th June 1978, at the Ascot Heath meeting and was won by a brown colt by Vaguely Noble out of Quillo Queen to win the prize which had £4090 added, the equivalent of £24,000 in 2020. Over round 107%
Hampton Court Stakes Group 3 1 mile 2 furlongs 2002 (1922)
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1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
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1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978