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 1931 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 STINGO H Wragg P Lowe Mr D M Gant 2/1 fav
2 TAG END B Carslake C Peck Sir Abe Bailey 5/1
3 CEDARWOOD S Donoghue Vic Gilpin Mr J Denison-Pender 20/1
4 GOLDEN KING S Ingham F Hartigan Mr F Hartigan 7/1
5 HOMER R Perryman Watson Mr A De Rothschild 7/1
6 OAK RIDGE H Beasley L Cundell Mr F H Cundell 5/1
7 RING O' ROSES F Lane R Jones Mr W Waldron 25/1
8 PUTTING GREEN P Donoghue Nugent Sir H Nugent 20/1
9 STRONGBOW C Ray Vic Gilpin Lt-Col Giles Loder 100/6
10 WINDYBRAE F Fox F Darling Lord Woolavington 100/6
11 AMUSE J Childs C Peck Sir Abe Bailey 20/1
12 WESTERN STAR R Rook Barclay Mrs C Gulliver 20/1
13 TROSSACH'S LASS F Sharpe Barclay Mr C Gulliver 25/1
14 FALCONET A Smirke Barclay Mr C Gulliver 50/1
The King's Stand Plate took place on Friday 19th June 1931 and the winner, a chestnut colt by Tremola out of Merry Orb, won a first prize of a piece of plate valued at 800 sovereigns, and 585 sovereigns (equivalent to £31,000 in 2020). Over round 131%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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