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 1886 Group 1 1 mile 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age'weight Owner
1 BUTTON PARK G Barrett Alec Taylor 3-8st 10lbs Duke of Beaufort 6/1
2 SPRINGFIELD colt W Lashmar Jimmy Ryan 3-8st 3lbs Mr J H Houldsworth 20/1
3 RIVERSDALE John Osborne Bates 3-8st 4lbs Sir R Jardine 9/2
4 CALAIS J E Tomlinsson Tom Jennings jnr 3-8st 3lbs Mr Tom Jennings jnr 100/6
5 WISE CHILD Charles Wood C Arnull 3-8st 3lbs Prince Soltykoff 10/1
6 THE SUN F Barrett T Fordham 3-8st 3lbs Mr Manton 10/1
7 MARTINET John Watts Wadlow 3-8st 10lbs Lord Bradford 75/20
8 CANDLEMAS Fred Archer John Porter 3-9st 1lbs Lord Alington 5/2 fav
9 ARIEL Wilkins Alec Taylor 3-8st 10lbs Duke of Beaufort 100/3
This race took place on Tuesday 8th June 1886 and was won by a brown colt by Avontes out of Makesure, who won a first prize of 4500 sovereigns from 70 subscribers (equivalent to £589,000 in 2020). Actual first prize was £2425. Over round 117%
Prince of Wales's Stakes Group 1 1 mile 2 furlongs 1862
    1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879
1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886