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 1873 Group 1 1 mile 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age'weight Owner
1 KAISER Maidment Gilbert 3-9st 11lbs Mr H Savile 3/1
2 GANG FORWARD Tom Chaloner Alec Taylor 3-9st 11lbs Mr W S Crawfurd 4/5 fav
3 COMBAT George Fordham Tom Jennings 3-8st 4lbs Mr M Lefevre 100/6
4 CAPUCHIN Jewitt Cannon 3-8st 3lbs Lord Lonsdale 20/1
5 SULEIMAN T Osborne Wroughton 3-8st 10lbs Mr F Gretton 100/8
6 MARQUIS TOWNSHEND Fred Webb Tom Brown 3-8st 3lbs Mr F Fisher 20/1
7 MISS BUCKLAND Newhouse Tom Jennings 3-7st 12lbs Mr M Lefevre 20/1
8 THE PREACHER Custance Cannon 3-8st 10lbs Lord Lonsdale 20/1
9 HIGHLAND LADDIE Jeffery Robert Peck 3-8st 3lbs Mr James Merry 5/1
This race took place on Tuesday 10th June 1873 and was won by a bay colt by Skirmisher out of Regina, who won a first prize of 5000 sovereigns from 86 subscribers (equivalent to £548,000 in 2020). Over round 130%
Prince of Wales's Stakes Group 1 1 mile 2 furlongs 1862
    1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872 1873