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 1880 Group 1 1 mile 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age'weight Owner
1 ZEALOT W Macdonald Wadlow 3-8st 10lbs Lord Bradford 10/1
2 THE ABBOT Cannon John Dawson 3-8st 10lbs Mr R C Naylor 5/2 fav
3 PETRONEL Jem Goater Joe Cannon 3-9st 1lbs Duke of Beaufort 3/1
4 FAVONIUS colt Lemaire John Ryan 3-8st 3lbs Mr J H Houldsworth 100/7
5 LIEUT-GENERAL Charles Wood Joseph Dawson 3-8st 3lbs Mr Joseph Dawson 20/1
6 AMBASSADRESS Morgan Mathew Dawson 3-7st 12lbs Lord Falmouth 8/1
7 NAPSBURY Glover Osborne 3-8st 10lbs Mr R C Vyner 20/1
8 MARINER George Fordham John Porter 3-8st 3lbs Mr F Gretton 20/1
9 LANCASTER BOWMAN Fred Webb Mathew Dawson 3-8st 10lbs Lord Hastings 20/1
10 GRANTHAM John Osborne Tom Dawson 3-8st 5lbs Mr R Jardine 20/1
11 ERCLIDOUNE Constable Robert Peck 3-8st 3lbs Lord Rosebery 10/1
12 BOREAS H Jeffery W Brown 3-8st 3lbs Mr P Lorillard 20/1
This race took place on Tuesday 8th June 1880 and was won by a chesnut colt by Hermit out of Zelle, who won a first prize of 5300 sovereigns from 86 subscribers (equivalent to £642,000 in 2020). Over round 119%
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
1880