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 2005 Group 1 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 CHINEUR Christiophe Lemaire M Delzangles Marquesa De Moratalia 7/1
2 BOOGIE STREET Richard Hughes Richard Hannon Hippodrome Racing 16/1
3 MOSS VALE Michael Hills Barry Hills John Grant/Cheveley Park 14/1
4 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE Mick Kinane D Oughton R Carstairs 8/1
5 MIGHTY BEAU David Nuesch Jeff Mullins Michael Cloonan 12/1
6 VAR Johnny Murtagh Clive Brittain Mohammed Rashid 11/2 jt fav
7 THE TATLING Darryll Holland Milton Bradley Dab Hand Partnership 11/2 jt fav
8 FAYR JAG Willie Supple Tim Easterby Jonathon Gill 33/1
9 DISTINCTLY GAME Neil Callan Kevin Ryan Rosie & Mr & Mrs J Richer 100/1
10 TOURNEDOS Gary Carter John Akehurst Vimal Khosla 100/1
11 NIGHT PROSPECTOR Tom Queally J W Payne S M F Ltd 100/1
12 ORIENTOR Kieren Fallon Jim Goldie Alexander J Bogle 9/1
13 STRIKING AMBITION Jimmy Fortune Roger Charlton Peter Webb 8/1
14 CELTIC MILL Philip Robinson D W Barker P Asquith 14/1
15 BENBAUN Pat Smullen M J Wallace Ransley, Birks, Hillen 16/1
16 TEXAS GOLD Martin Dwyer William Muir C L A Edginton 66/1
The King's Stand Stakes took place on Tuesday 14th June 2005 and the winner, a bay horse by Fasliyev out of Wardara won a first prize of £87,556, (equivalent to £134,000 in 2020). Over round 116%
King's Stand Stakes Group 1 5 furlongs 1860
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