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 1989 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 INDIAN RIDGE Steve Cauthen David Elsworth Mrs Anne Coughlan 9/4 fav
2 TIGANI Ray Cochrane Geoff Lewis Captain M Lemos 25/1
3 GALLIC LEAGUE Michael Hills Barry Hills Mr R Sangster 6/1
4 SHUTTLECOCK CORNER George Duffield P S Felgate J David Abell 25/1
5 DESERT DAWN Tony Ives Lord John Fitzgerald Khaled Al-Ahmed 100/1
6 WONDER DANCER Tony Cruz Alan Bailey Thomas Laing 50/1
7 KERRERA Walter Swinburn Sir Michael Stoute Shiekh Mohammed 5/1
8 CADEAUX GENEREUX Pat Eddery Alec Scott Maktoum Al Maktoum 7/2
9 PERION Paul Eddery Geoff Lewis E & B Productions 50/1
10 HANDSOME SAILOR W Carson Barry Hills Mr R Sangster 16/1
11 ELOQUENT MINISTER Steve Craine Tommy Stack Mr R Sangster 33/1
12 CAROL'S TREASURE Bill Shoemaker John Hills Mrs Carol Lane 14/1
13 ASTRONEF Cash Asmussen Robert Collet R C Strauss 25/1
14 ACCESS TRAVEL Michael Roberts Ron Boss Miss Denise Williams 33/1
15 PALEY PRINCE Tony McGlone Mark Usher John Pitt 100/1
The King's Stand Stakes took place on Friday 23rd June 1989 and the winner, a chestnut horse by Ahonoora out of Hillbrow won a first prize of £60,532, (equivalent to £154,000 in 2020). Over round 120%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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