Royal Ascot: Prince of Wales's Stakes

The Prince of Wales's Stakes, currently staged on the second day of the Royal meeting, was established in 1862, and named after the Prince of Wales at that time, the future King Edward VII. The original version was restricted to three-year-olds, and it was contested over 1 mile and 5 furlongs. The race was discontinued after World War II, when there was no Prince of Wales. It returned in 1968, a year before the investiture of Prince Charles. The distance of the new version was 1 mile and 2 furlongs, and it was now open to horses aged three or older. The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Prince of Wales's Stakes was classed at Group 2 level. It was promoted to Group 1 status in 2000, and at this point the minimum age of participating horses was raised to four.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Prince of Wales's Stakes was on Tuesday 17th June 1862 over 1 mile 5 furlongs of the New Course. It was won by Carisbrook (100/8), beating Neptunus (4/1 joint favourite) and Hurricane (20/1) by 2 lengths and a head.
Prince of Wales's Stakes 1872 Group 1 1 mile 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age'weight Owner
1 QUEEN'S MESSENGER T French Mathew Dawson 3-9st 1lbs Lord Falmouth 9/2
2 KHEDIVE Snowden Coates 3-8st 10lbs Lord Zetland 100/15
3 DRUMOCHTER T Chaloner Alec Taylor 3-8st 3lbs Mr W S Crawfurd 5/1
4 ALMONER Cannon John Day 3-8st 13lbs Duke of Beaufort 10/1
5 WINSLOW Killick Drewitt 3-8st 10lbs Mr G Clive 25/1
6 LOUISE VICTORIA Huxtable Olliver 3-7st 12lbs Mr W S Cartwright 100/15
7 LIGHTHOUSE Morris Tom Jennings 3-8st 10lbs Mr Tom Jennings 25/1
8 LORD GOUGH Hunt Joseph Dawson 3-8st 3lbs Mr R H Long 10/1
9 XANTHUS John Osborne Joseph Dawson 3-8st 10lbs Mr T V Morgan 25/1
10 WENLOCK George Fordham Wadlow 3-8st 3lbs Lord Wilton 7/4 fav
11 WOLFHALL Butler Alec Taylor 3-8st 3lbs Lord Ailesbury 25/1
This race took place on Tuesday 11th June 1872 and was won by a bay colt by Trumpeter out of Queen Bertha, who won a first prize of 5900 sovereigns from 104 subscribers (equivalent to £672,000 in 2020). Over round 134%
Prince of Wales's Stakes Group 1 1 mile 2 furlongs 1862
    1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872