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 1864 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 LE BEARNAIS J Grimshaw 2-6st 5lbs Count F De Lagrange 5/2 fav
2 LADY CLIFDEN George Fordham 6-9st 5lbs Captain Christie 5/1
3 ZAMBEZI H Covey 2-6st 12lbs Mr James Merry 100/7
4 PEARL DIVER A Cowley 4-8st 9lbs Mr E Brayley 25/1
5 KILDARE Atkins 2-6st 12lbs Mr Craven 25/1
6 SOAPSTONE F Adams 4-8st 9lbs Captain Cooper 10/1
7 UMPIRE J Adams aged-9st 11lbs Lord Coventry 7/1
8 BLACK DUCHESS Loates 2-6st 9lbs Mr Joseph Dawson 10/1
9 SYREN Dowling 3-8st 2lbs Captain Gray 25/1
10 BERTHA Challoner 5-9st 5lbs Mr R C Naylor 25/1
11 STARBEAM Reeves 3-8st 9lbs Captain Rennie 25/1
12 BUNCH Carroll 2-6st 9lbs Lord St Vincent 25/1
13 KING JOHN Hardcastle 3-8st 5lbs Mr R Wales 25/1
14 BIRCH BROOM Jem Goater 3-8st 12lbs Lord Westmorland 100/8
15 CASTLE HILL Ashmall 3-9st 1lb Colonel Townleey 25/1
This race took place on Tuesday 7th June 1864, the winner, a 2-year-old bay colt by Ventre St Gris out of a Hampton mare, won a first prize of 420 Sovereigns from 22 subscribers (equivalent to £53,000 in 2020). Over round 121%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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