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.

King's Stand Plate 1910 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SPANISH PRINCE H Randall Carter Mr Nickall 100/7
2 AMERICUS GIRL Danny Maher Peebles Mr Ledlie 10/11 fav
3 CAPTURE Will Griggs Richard Marsh Lord M Beresford 100/7
4 FORESIGHT W Higgs Withington Lord Fitzwilliam 8/1
5 SUNFLOWER II Wall Griggs Morton Mr Jim Joel 100/7
6 PRESTER JACK W Saxby F Hartigan Mr E Mills 20/1
7 GLENESKY C Trigg Captain Dewhurst Mr C Meyer 6/1
8 ARTLESS J H Martin Joyner Mr Whitney 20/1
9 SOLFERNO Bernard Dillon Capatin Dewhurst Lord Cadogan 20/1
10 IRISH KING C Rignstead Sam Pickering Mr P Nelke 20/1
The King's Stand Plate took place on Friday 17th June 1910 and the winner, a bay colt by Ugly out of Galazore, won a first prize of a piece of plate valued at 800 sovereigns, and 830 sovereigns (equivalent to £102,000 in 2020). Over round 118%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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1910