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 1875 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 TANGIBLE Fred Webb Tom Brown 5-9st 11lbs Sir George Chetwynd 2/1 fav
2 VENTNOR Morbey Joseph Hayhoe 2-6st 12lbs Mr H Batazzi 100/7
3 BRIGG BOY Rossiter Charles Blanton 2-7st 1lbs Sir J D Astley 10/1
4 INGLEMERE Tom Chaloner Alec Taylor 3-8st 5lbs Mr W S Crawfurd 20/1
5 SLUMBER Tom Jennings jnr Tom Jennings 4-9st 5lbs Mr Tom Jennings 10/1
6 MONTARGIE Carratt Juigne (France) 5-9st 6lbs Count De Juigne 10/1
7 ECOSSAIS George Fordham Arnull 4-9st 5lbs Count F De Lagrnage 7/1
8 COOMASSIE Maidment Joseph Hayhoe 3-8st 5lbs Sir A De Rothschild 100/8
9 CHARON Fred Archer Wadlow 2-7st 5lbs Lord Wilton 4/1
The Queen's Stand Plate took place on Tuesday 8th June 1875 and the winner, a chesnut horse by Blair Athol out of Touch Me Not, won a first prize of a piece of plate valued at 200 sovereigns, and stakes of 170 sovereigns from 17 subscribers (equivalent to £43,000 in 2020). Over round 112%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875