Royal Ascot: King's Stand Stakes

The King's Stand Stakes was created as a result of bad weather at Royal Ascot in 1860. Heavy rain made it impossible to run the Royal Stand Plate over its usual distance of 2 miles, so it was shortened to 5 furlongs on the only raceable part of the course. The amended version was called the Queen's Stand Plate, and it subsequently became the most important sprint at the Royal meeting. For a time it was open to horses aged two or older. It was renamed the King's Stand Stakes following the death of Queen Victoria and the accession of King Edward VII in 1901. The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the King's Stand Stakes was given Group 1 status in 1973, although it was downgraded to Group 2 level in 1988, but regained its Group 1 status in 2008 and is contested on the opening day of the Royal meeting.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Queen's Stand Plate for 300 sovereigns, on Tuesday 5th June 1860, saw a large field of superior quality headed by Baron Rothschild's Queen of the Vale (100/6) ridden by John Daley in a canter by 3 lengths from Brown Duchess (5/1), with two lengths back to Satellite (7/1) in third, and 14 others further adrift.

Queen's Stand Plate 1862 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 SHILLELAGH George Fordham 4-9st 5lbs Mr Hodgman 4/1
2 ARGONAUT John Wells 3-8st 5lbs Sir Joseph Hawley 7/4 fav
3 THE ORPHAN Hibberd 2-6st 12lbs Lord St Vincent 5/1
4 GENERAL HESS S Rogers 5-9st 11lbs Lord Uxbridge 20/1
5 KING OF DIAMONDS John Osborne 5-9st 8lbs Baron de Rothschild 20/1
6 LORD OF THE MANOR Custance 6-9st 5lbs Mr Bruce 20/1
7 MERRYMAN Hayward 5-8st 12lbs Mr James Merry 20/1
8 ACROBAT colt S Adams 2-6st 12lbs Mr W Day 20/1
9 OSSIAN Drew 2-6st 12lbs Mr Greville 20/1
10 VIVID H Grimshaw 2-6st 12lbs Count F de Lagrange 8/1
11 CAIRNCASTLE Clement 2-6st 12lbs Mr W Wilson 20/1
12 WINDHOUND colt Doyle 2-6st 12lbs Mr James Clark 20/1
13 AMAZONIAN Midgley 2-6st 9lbs Mr J Saxon 20/1
This race took place on Tuesday 17th June 1862, the winner, a 4-year-old chestnut colt by Teddington out of Thorn, won a first prize of 380 Sovereigns from 18 subscribers (equivalent to £47,000 in 2020). Over round 128%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
1860 1861 1862