Royal Ascot: Norfolk Stakes

The Norfolk Stakes, a Group 2 flat race over 5 furlongs open to two-year-old horses, is currently staged on the third day of the Royal meeting. The event was established in 1843, and it was originally called the New Stakes. The inaugural running was won by Rattan. The race was renamed the Norfolk Stakes in 1973, in honour of the 16th Duke of Norfolk who served as the Royal Representative at Ascot from 1945 to 1972. For a time the event held Group 3 status, but it was promoted to Group 2 level in 2006.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the New Stakes, the forerunner of the Norfolk Stakes, over the 5 furlongs of the two-year-old course took place on Thursday 15th June 1843 and was won by Mr Crockford's Rattan (5/2) who beat Assay and Charming Kate by 3 lengths and 5 lengths.
New Stakes 1856 Stakes 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer/Age/weight Owner
1 ZAIDEE George Fordham 2-8st 3lbs Mr M Dennett 20/1
2 GOLDFINCH Wells 2-8st 7lbs Mr Howard 4/5 fav
3 SCHIEDAM Jem Goater 2-8st 7lbs Mr Howard 33/1
4 SOMERSET G Mann 2-8st 7lbs Lord Anglesey 33/1
5 YORKSHIREMAN Dockeray 2-8st 7lbs Mr E R Clark 33/1
6 EQUITY T Cliff 2-8st 3lbs Captain Christie 33/1
7 EQUINOX Sly 2-8st 3lbs Mr W Day 33/1
8 BLACK TOMMY Aldcroft 2-8st 7lbs Mr Drinkald 10/1
9 ASPASIA Alfred Day 2-8st 3lbs Mr G W Fitzwilliam 6/1
10 DOUBLE GLOSTER J Quinton 2-8st 3lbs Mr J S Forbes 10/1
11 SALONICA Yates 2-8st 7lbs Mr Gulliver 33/1
12 THE DUKE A Cowley 2-8st 7lbs Mr La Mert 33/1
13 NEREUS W Abdale 2-8st 7lbs Colonel Martyn 33/1
14 ADMIRAL LYONS Basham 2-8st 7lbs Mr Morris 33/1
15 SYDNEY Charlton 2-8st 7lbs Baron Rothschild 33/1
16 THE ZOUAVE J Mann 2-8st 7lbs Mr F Rowland 33/1
17 QUEEN BESS J Forster 2-8st 3lbs Mr Saxon 33/1
18 KINGMAKER Bartholomew 2-8st 7lbs Mr J M Stanley 33/1
19 BOSCOBEL J Harrison 2-8st 10lbs Mr H Stone 33/1
20 GILLIVER Nat Flatman 2-8st 7lbs Captain White 10/1
The New Stakes, forerunner of the Norfolk Stakes, took place on Thursday 12th June 1856 and the winner, a brown filly by Red Hart out of Subterfuge, won a first prize was 290 sovereigns from 19 subscribers (equivalent to £31,000 in 2020). Over round 143%
Norfolk Stakes Group 2 5 furlongs 1843
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1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856