Royal Ascot: Queen Alexandra Stakes

The Queen Alexandra Stakes, named after the consort of King Edward VII, is a flat race over 2 miles 5 furlongs and 159 yards open to horses aged four years or older. It was established in 1864, and it was originally called the Alexandra Plate. It later became known as the Alexandra Stakes, and it was given its current title in 1931. It was formerly contested over 2 miles, 6 furlongs and 34 yards, but it was shortened as a result of the realignment of Ascot's track in 2005. The Queen Alexandra Stakes, the longest flat race in Britain, is traditionally the last race on the final day of the five-day Royal Ascot meeting. It sometimes features horses which ran on the opening day in the Ascot Stakes, and the most recent to win both in the same year was Simenon in 2012.
Early history:- A massive field of 29 contested the very first running of the Alexandra Plate, forerunner of the Queen Alexandra Stakes, over the Old Mile on Friday 10th June 1864. It was won by Mr J Lowe's Anglo-Saxon (20/1) who defeated Crisis (5/1) and Exchequer (8/1) by 2 lengths and a length and a half.
Alexandra Plate 1864 Conditions race Old Mile (3miles)
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 ANGLO-SAXON H Sharp James Nightingall 3-6st 7lbs Mr J Lowe 20/1
2 CRISIS S Mordan 3-6st 4lbs Mr Merry 5/1
3 EXCHEQUER J Adams 5-8st 4lbs Lord Coventry 8/1
4 AURELIAN Morgan 6-8st 0lbs Lord Westmorland 20/1
5 PRINCIPAL W Boyce 5-7st 12lbs Mr Perry 50/1
6 MELANDRA Gray 4-8st 8lbs Mr James Smith 100/8
7 STOCKINGER Morris 5-8st 13lbs Lord Wilton 50/1
8 BLACK LILY Hunter 6-7st 0lbs Lord Chesterfield 50/1
9 CATCH-EM-ALIVE Jem Goater 5-8st 10lbs Mr W Day 50/1
10 ARGONAUT Wells 5-8st 9lbs Sir Joseph Hawley 100/6
11 ALMACK T French 4-7st 9lbs Mr Craven 5/2 fav
12 BACCHUS E Taylor 3-7st 8lbs Captain Machell 50/1
13 KING GEORGE Dowling 3-7st 8lbs Captain Gray 50/1
14 MUEZZLU S Adams 4-7st 2lbs Mr W Day 50/1
15 HYMETTUS J Marson 3-6st 10lbs Mr H Wilkinson 50/1
16 BLACK DEER Sayers 4-6st 10lbs Mr G Right 50/1
17 LOFRA J Grimshaw jnr 4-6st 13lbs Mr F Jacobs 5/1
18 STOCKOWNER H Covey 4-6st 11lbs Mr W Robinson 100/7
19 HIPPOLYTA J Grimshaw 3-7st 4lbs Baron Rothschild 10/1
20 MELROSE Jebb 4-6st 10lbs Mr Wigram 100/6
21 NEBUCHADNEZZAR Hibberd 4-6st 7lbs Prince Soltykoff 100/1
22 VENISON Carroll 4-6st 7lbs Mr Charles Peck 100/1
23 MERRY MAID Herbert 5-6st 6lbs Mr Payne 100/1
24 AMELIA Loates 4-6st 4lbs Lord Exeter 100/1
25 LUCKY STAR Goodwin 3-6st 3lbs Mr G Bryan 35/1
26 ROSENEATH Boxall 3-5st 7lbs Mr Naylor 100/1
27 LADY WILLIAMS F Clark 3-5st 12lbs Mr J Powney 100/1
28 EVELINA Peake 3-6st 2lbs Baron Rothschild 100/1
29 JOHN DAVIS Elphick 3-5st 7lbs Mr Night 100/1
The inaugural running of the Alexandra Plate, forerunner of the Queen Alexandra Stakes, was held over the Old Mile on Friday 10th June 1864 when the J Lowe owned Anglo-Saxon, a bay horse by Elthelbert out of Griselda, won a first prize of 993 sovereigns (equivalent to £127,000 in 2020) beating Crisis and Exchequer by 2 lengths and a length and a half. Over round 146%
Queen Alexandra Stakes Conditions race 2 miles 5 furlongs 159 yards 1864
        1864