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 1879 Group 1 1 mile 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age'weight Owner
1 WHEEL OF FORTUNE Fred Archer Mathew Dawson 3-9st 0lbs Lord Falmouth 4/6 fav
2 ADVENTURE Charles Wood Robert Peck 3-7st 12lbs Duke of Westminster 10/1
3 RAYON D'OR Jem Goater Tom Jennings 3-8st 13lbs Count F De Lagrange 10/1
4 PROTECTIONIST Morbey T Stevens 3-8st 3lbs Lord Bateman 25/1
5 GEORGE ALBERT Glover Tom Leader 3-8st 3lbs Mr W S Cartwright 25/1
6 DISCORD John Osborne Tom Brown 3-8st 13lbs Mr R R Christopher 100/1
7 DALNASPIDAL II George Fordham Alec Taylor 3-8st 3lbs Mr W S Crawfurd 25/1
8 RUPERRA Cannon John Ryan 3-9st 1lbs Mr J H Houldsworth 100/8
9 LOADSTONE Tom Chaloner Bates 3-8st 3lbs Mr R Jardine 25/1
10 PROLOGUE Morris Tom Jennings 3-8st 10lbs Count F De Lagrange 25/1
11 BUTE Constable Dover 3-8st 3lbs Lord Rosebery 100/6
This race took place on Tuesday 10th June 1879 and was won by a bay filly by Adventurer out of Queen Bertha, who won a first prize of 5500 sovereigns from 96 subscribers (equivalent to £689,000 in 2020). Over round 120%
Prince of Wales's Stakes Group 1 1 mile 2 furlongs 1862
    1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879