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 1866 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 HIPPIA Peake 2-7st 2lbs Baron Rothschild 8/1
2 SACCHAROMETER George Fordham 6-9st 8lbs Mr W Goodwin 7/1
3 OSTREGER Mr W Bevill 4-9st 5lbs Mr W Bevill 25/1
4 DON BASILIO Jem Goater 4-8st 5lbs Sir R Bulkeley 25/1
5 COLLET-MONTE G Pratt 3-8st 12lbs Mr H Delamarre 25/1
6 THE DUKE Cannon 4-9st 12lbs Marquess of Hastings 1/2 fav
7 KING CHARLES H Day 2-6st 12lbs Marquess of Hastings 25/1
8 MEPHISTOPHELES J Mann 3-8st 5lbs Captain King 25/1
9 LE MANDARIN H Grimshaw 4-9st 5lbs Count F De Lagrange 25/1
10 NARINO Childs 2-6st 12lbs Mr H Coventry 25/1
11 MARKSMAN H Covey 2-6st 12lbs Mr James Merry 10/1
12 MAID MARIAN Huxtable 2-6st 9lbs Mr H Savile 25/1
13 WILD DAYRELL filly Murray 2-6st 9lbs Lord Stamford 25/1
This race took place on Tuesday 29th May 1866, the winner, a 2-year-old bay filly by King Tom out of Daughter of the Star, won a first prize of 450 Sovereigns from 25 subscribers (equivalent to £54,000 in 2020). Over round 135%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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