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 1976 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 LOCHNAGER E Hide M W Easterby Mr C Spence 6/4 fav
2 REALTY F Head Datessen Mrs Alec Head 10/1
3 HITTITE GLORY Y Saint-Martin Breasley Mr Ravi Tikkoo 13/1
4 THRIFTY TRIO J Roe D Weld Mr B Cooke 13/1
5 FALIRAKI L Piggott M O'Toole Mr R Sangster 9/2
6 MADANG G Dettori Luca Cumani Mr C D'Alessio 12/1
7 PRINCESS JACQUELINE II G Deleuze Perrone Dr A Perrone 12/1
8 MUSIC BOY J Seagrave Lumness Cheveley Park Stud 13/1
9 ROYAL BOY J Mercer M Jarvis Mr D Robinson 13/1
10 NATIONAL WISH J Carr H Murless (Ire) Dr J Masterson 16/1
11 HAREM P Eddery R Mason Mr G Gibson 25/1
12 DELTA SONG B Taylor H R Price Mr S Vanian 28/1
13 MURRMATCH F Durr R Hannon Major J Rubin 33/1
The King's Stand Stakes took place on Friday 18th June 1976 and the winner, a brown horse by Dumbarnie out of Miss Barbara won a first prize of £16,424, (equivalent to £121,000 in 2020). Over round 128%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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