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 1979 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 DOUBLE FORM J Reid R Houghton Baroness H Thyssen 12/1
2 AHONOORA M L Thomas Durr Essa Alkhalifa 20/1
3 GOLDEN THATCH L Piggott M V O'Brien Mr J Mulcahy 9/4 fav
4 ABDU T Ives W O'Gorman Mr A Foustok 14/1
5 KING OF MACEDON Y Saint-Martin Cunnington jnr Sir M Sobell 13/2
6 GREENLAND PARK W Carson Hastings-Bass Greenland Park Ltd 3/1
7 VAIGLY GREAT G Starkey M Stoute Mr T Sellier 13/2
8 DEVON DITTY S Cauthen Jones Mr R Sangster 10/1
9 STANFORD P Eddery N Callaghan Mr D Cock 33/1
10 GOLD SONG J Mercer Guest Mrs E Guest 50/1
11 LAUDON E Hide C Brittain Mr C Elliot 50/1
12 SWING ALONE G Duffield P Kelleway Mr J Evans 50/1
13 LADY LITTLEPACE B Taylor M Kauntze Mr T Keaney 50/1
The King's Stand Stakes took place on Friday 22nd June 1979 and the winner, a bay colt by Habitat out of Fanghorn won a first prize of £26,010, (equivalent to £135,000 in 2020). Over round 123%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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