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 1996 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 PIVOTAL George Duffield Sir Mark Prescott Cheveley Park Stud 13/2
2 MIND GAMES John Carroll Jack Berry Rob Hughes 3/1 fav
3 ALMATY Kevin Darley Con Collins Mr Peter Savill 20/1
4 HEVER GOLF ROSE Pat Eddery T J Naughton Hever Racing Club 11/1
5 ROYALE FIGURINE John Reid M Fetherston-Godley Craig Pearman 25/1
6 ROYAL APPLAUSE Michael Hills Barry Hills Maktoum Al Maktoum 11/2
7 LOCH PATRICK Tony McGlone Michael Madgwick Miss E M Coller 50/1
8 LIDANNA Mick Kinane D Hanley McLoghlin Racing Syndicate 9/1
9 TITUS LIVIUS Cash Asmussen J E Pease Niarchos Family 20/1
10 EVENINGPERFORMANCE Billy Newnes Henry Candy Mrs David Blackburn 14/1
11 MUBHIJIL Willie Carson Barry Hills Hamdan Al Maktoum 25/1
12 LUCKY LIONEL T Quinn Richard Hannon A Balzanini 14/1
13 WAVIAN W J O'Connor Richard Hannon Salah Al Homeizi 100/1
14 AILLEACHT Kevin Manning Jim Bolger Mrs J Bolger/Jon Corcoran 33/1
15 DOUBLE QUICKI Jason Weaver Mark Johnston Hon E Beckett 25/1
16 STRUGGLER Richard Hughes David Loder Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber 15/2
17 YA MALAK Brent Thomson J W Payne Contrac Promotions 50/1
The King's Stand Stakes took place on Friday 21st June 1996 and the winner, a chestnut horse by Polar Falcon out of Fearless Revival won a first prize of £65,390, (equivalent to £126,000 in 2020). Over round 127%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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