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 2003 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 CHOISIR Johnny Murtagh Paul Perry T W Wallace & Partners 25/1
2 ACCLAMATION Pat Eddery L Cottrell Dulford Cavaliers 16/1
3 OASIS DREAM Richard Hughes John Gosden Khaled Abdulla 6/1 fav
4 DOMINICA Martin Dwyer Marcus Tregoning Major & Mrs R B Kennard 10/1
5 THE TRADER Fergus Sweeney Michael Blanshard Mrs C J Ward 16/1
6 ELUSIVE CITY Gary Stevens Gerard Butler Thoroughbred Corporation 11/1
7 CAPTAIN RIO Kieren Fallon David Nicholls Clipper Group Holdings 10/1
8 BAHAMIAN PIRATE Olivier Peslier David Nicholls Lucayan Stud 33/1
9 FIREBOLT W C Marwing W Allan Tony You Kwak Leung 12/1
10 OLIVIA GRACE Kevin Darley Terry Mills Sherwood Transport 9/1
11 ROMANTIC LIASON Frankie Dettori Saeed Bin Suroor Godolphin 11/1
12 SADDAD Richard Hills Sir Michael Stoute Hamdan Al Maktoum 14/1
13 PEACE OFFERING Tony Clark Terry Mills Mrs L M Askew 66/1
14 INDIAN SPARK Tony Culhane Jim Goldie Frank Brady 50/1
15 CONTINENT Darryll Holland David Nicholls Lucayan Stud 10/1
16 PERUVIAN CHIEF Eddie Ahern Nick Littmoden M S C D Racing 25/1
17 WUNDERS DREAM Micky Fenton James Given J Ellis 33/1
18 TALBOT AVENUE Adrian Nicholls Michael Mullineaux Mrs C S Wilson 100/1
19 BOLEYN CASTLE Robert Miles Terry Mills M A Shipman 20/1
20 LADY DOMINATRIX Paul Doe Nerys Duffield J Duffield 40/1
The King's Stand Stakes took place on Tuesday 17th June 2003 and the winner, a chestnut horse by Danehill Dancer out of Great Selection won a first prize of £81,200, (equivalent to £131,000 in 2020). Over round 120%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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