Royal Ascot: Prince of Wales's Stakes

The Prince of Wales's Stakes, currently staged on the second day of the Royal meeting, was established in 1862, and named after the Prince of Wales at that time, the future King Edward VII. The original version was restricted to three-year-olds, and it was contested over 1 mile and 5 furlongs. The race was discontinued after World War II, when there was no Prince of Wales. It returned in 1968, a year before the investiture of Prince Charles. The distance of the new version was 1 mile and 2 furlongs, and it was now open to horses aged three or older. The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Prince of Wales's Stakes was classed at Group 2 level. It was promoted to Group 1 status in 2000, and at this point the minimum age of participating horses was raised to four.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Prince of Wales's Stakes was on Tuesday 17th June 1862 over 1 mile 5 furlongs of the New Course. It was won by Carisbrook (100/8), beating Neptunus (4/1 joint favourite) and Hurricane (20/1) by 2 lengths and a head.
Prince of Wales's Stakes 1871 Group 1 1 mile 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age'weight Owner
1 KING OF THE FOREST Snowden Robert Peck 3-9st 1lbs Mr James Merry 11/2
2 RIPPONDEN Maidment Gilbert 3-8st 3lbs Mr H Savile 5/1
3 HANNAH T French Joseph Hayhoe 3-9st 0lbs Baron Rothschild 4/1 fav
4 STERLING Custance Mathew Dawson 3-8st 13lbs Mr Blaydon 10/1
5 BOTHWELL John Osborne J Johnstone 3-9st 1lbs Mr J Johnstone 11/2
6 PENNILESS Morris John Porter 3-7st 12lbs Sir Joseph Hawley 20/1
7 DIGBY GRAND George Fordham Henry Woolcott 3-8st 13lbs Mr G G Keswick 14/1
8 NOBLESSE Cannon Mathew Dawson 3-8st 5lbs Mr R C Naylor 25/1
9 CLEVELAND Tom Chaloner Joseph Dawson 3-8st 3lbs General Peel 9/2
This race took place on Tuesday 6th June 1871 and was won by a bay colt by Scottish Chief out of Lioness, who won a first prize of 5450 sovereigns from 95 subscribers (equivalent to £647,000 in 2020). Over round 109%
Prince of Wales's Stakes Group 1 1 mile 2 furlongs 1862
    1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871