Royal Ascot: Queen Anne Stakes

The Queen Anne Stakes, originally open to horses aged three and older, was established in 1840, and during the early part of its history it was called the Trial Stakes. In 1930, it was renamed in honour of Queen Anne, the founder of Ascot Racecourse. The Queen Anne Stakes was classed as a Group 3 race in 1971, and it was promoted to Group 2 level in 1984. It was given Group 1 status in 2003, and at this point the minimum age of participating horses was raised to four. It is now the first race on the opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting.
Early history:- Queen Victoria was in attendance on Tuesday 16th June 1840 when the opening race, the Trial Stakes, was won by the Duke of Rutland's 4-year-old Flambeau (4/7 fav) ridden by Jem Robinson, beating Barabbas, Camelino and 3 others. Prestonjee Boinanjee (4/1) made the early running until half a mile from home, at which point Flambeau took over and went on to win unextended by an easy 2 lengths, making it back to back wins in 1841.

Trial Plate 1920 Group 1 New Mile
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 COMRADE F Bullock Peter Gilpin M de St Alary 5/4 fav
2 MOST BEAUTIFUL Tommy Weston Captain Dewhurst Mr A Bendon 100/6
3 GRAND FLEET A Whalley Barling Lord Glanely 5/1
4 ROIDEUR Brownie Carslake Atty Persse Major D McCalmont 7/1
5 PATLANDER G Hulme R Dawson Sir W Nelson 100/6
6 A SITTER W Saxby Pope Lt-Colonel Wingfield 100/6
7 PLYMOUTH Vic Smyth F Darling Sir J Buchanan 10/1
8 DEVIZES F Slade Jack Jarvis Sir W Cooke 100/6
9 SWYNBURN Steve Donoghue Moreton Duke of Westminster 10/1
10 ACROCEPHALUS Freddie Fox J Smith Colonel Meysey-Thompson 100/6
11 BRITOMART N Spear W Jarvis Lt-Colonel G Hobson 100/6
12 CYLENIUS Henri Jelliss Randall Mr G Corbett 100/6
The Trail Plate, forerunner of the Queen Anne Stakes, over the New Mile, took place on Tuesday 15th June 1920 and the winner, a bay colt by Bachelor's Double out of Sourabaya won a first prize of 680 sovereigns (equivalent to £36,000 in 2020). Over round 132%
Queen Anne Stakes Group 1 1 mile 1840
1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849
1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859
1860 1861 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 1887 1888 1889
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920