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 1981 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 MARWELL Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute Mr E Loder 5/4 fav
2 STANDAAN Brian Rouse Austin Mr A Richards 15/1
3 RUNNETT Wwillie Carson John Dunlop Miss V Evans 8/1
4 COOLEEN JACK Greville Starkey Eddie O'Grady Mr J McDonogh 20/1
5 SPARKLING BOY Brian Taylor Paul Kelleway Mr M Orioff 33/1
6 VALERIGA John Reid Luca Cumani Mr C D'Alessio 14/1
7 SHARPO Pat Eddery Jeremy Tree Miss M Sheriffe 11/4
8 TINAS PET Bruce Raymond G Huffer Mr M Mouskos 12/1
9 JASMINE STAR Wally Swinburn Connolly Mr M Bergi 25/1
10 STEEL CHARGER Geoff Baxter Ron Boss Mr D McIntyre 33/1
11 SWAN PRINCESS M L (Taffy) Thomas Bryan Swift Mr D Hains 33/1
12 DURANDAL Paul Cook Doug Marks Mrs R Bury 66/1
The King's Stand Stakes took place on Friday 19th June 1981 and the winner, a bay mare by Habitat out of Lady Seymour won a first prize of £33,750, (equivalent to £132,000 in 2020). Over round 122%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981