Royal Ascot: Norfolk Stakes

The Norfolk Stakes, a Group 2 flat race over 5 furlongs open to two-year-old horses, is currently staged on the third day of the Royal meeting. The event was established in 1843, and it was originally called the New Stakes. The inaugural running was won by Rattan. The race was renamed the Norfolk Stakes in 1973, in honour of the 16th Duke of Norfolk who served as the Royal Representative at Ascot from 1945 to 1972. For a time the event held Group 3 status, but it was promoted to Group 2 level in 2006.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the New Stakes, the forerunner of the Norfolk Stakes, over the 5 furlongs of the two-year-old course took place on Thursday 15th June 1843 and was won by Mr Crockford's Rattan (5/2) who beat Assay and Charming Kate by 3 lengths and 5 lengths.
New Stakes 1844 Stakes 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer/Age/weight Owner
1 OLD ENGLAND John Day junior 2-8st 7lbs Mr John Day 10/1
2 PANTASA C Marlow 2-8st 7lbs Mr Mostyn 7/2
3 YOUNG ECLIPSE W Coleman 2-8st 7lbs Mr Coleman 20/1
4 ALICE LOWE W Cotton 2-8st 3lbs Mr Chapman 20/1
5 CARISSIMA Crouch 2-8st 3lbs Mr Bristow 20/1
6 JERRY colt Bartholomew 2-8st 7lbs Lord Lonsdale 20/1
7 LOADSTONE S Rogers 2-8st 7lbs Lord Lonsdale 10/1
8 PIQUANTE Nat Flatman 2-8st 3lbs Colonel Anson 20/1
9 MYSTERY Sly 2-8st 3lbs Mr G Ongley 5/1
10 SCARMENTADO Whitehouse 2-8st 7lbs Lord Albemarle 20/1
11 BIRDSWING Sam Darling junior 2-8st 3lbs Mr Milner 20/1
12 CORINTHIAN TOM J May 2-8st 7lbs Mr May 20/1
13 MARCIAN filly Hesseltine 2-8st 3lbs Lord Rosslyn 20/1
14 PULCE W Howlett 2-8st 3lbs Lord George Bentinck 20/1
Disq BLOODSTONE H Bell 2-8st 7lbs Mr F Herbert 2/1 fav
The New Stakes, forerunner of the Norfolk Stakes, took place on Thursday 6th June 1844 and the winner, a bay colt by Mulatto out of Fortress, won a first prize was 430 sovereigns from 33 subscribers (equivalent to £55,000 in 2020). However, the first passed the post was Bloodstone, but the Stewards and an objection by John Day looked into whether Bloodstone was in fact a 3-year-old. Vets prior to the race had allowed the horse to run as a 2-year-old, but after it won easily, and after substantial amounts had been bet on Bloodstone, the Stewards agreed to look again at the winner. The next day, Friday 7th June, the Stewards disqualified Bloodstone and awarded the race to Old England. Over round 135%
Norfolk Stakes Group 2 5 furlongs 1843
      1843 1844