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 Stakes 1965 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 GOLDHILL J Etherington M H Easterby Mr R Johnson 10/1
2 SPANIARDS MOUNT D Smith F N Winter Mr B S Bodner 100/30
3 GOLDEN APOLLO J Mercer A Smyth Mrs B Rowe 50/1
4 MORRISTOWN G Bougoure P Prendergast Mrs P Poe 50/1
5 MERRY MADCAP L Piggott F Maxwell Mrs H Frelinghuysen 11/8 fav
6 RUNNYMEDE R P Elliott Bill Wightman Miss F Prior 6/1
7 QUISLING P Boothman Fetherstonhaugh Mrs V McCalmont 100/8
8 POLYFOLO J Wilson Reavey Mrs C Reavey 100/7
9 HOLBORN Breasley Johnson-Houghton Mr Charles Engelhard 100/6
10 TAMINO R Hutchinson G Smyth Duke of Norfolk 100/6
11 JANE PENNY J Roe Killick Major H Hall 50/1
The King's Stand Stakes took place on Friday 18th June 1965 and the winner, a brown horse by Le Dieu D'Or out of Guilded Rose, won a first prize of £2050, (equivalent to £41,000 in 2020). Over round 122%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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