Royal Ascot: Queen Anne Stakes

The Queen Anne Stakes, originally open to horses aged three and older, was established in 1840, and during the early part of its history it was called the Trial Stakes. In 1930, it was renamed in honour of Queen Anne, the founder of Ascot Racecourse. The Queen Anne Stakes was classed as a Group 3 race in 1971, and it was promoted to Group 2 level in 1984. It was given Group 1 status in 2003, and at this point the minimum age of participating horses was raised to four. It is now the first race on the opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting.
Early history:- Queen Victoria was in attendance on Tuesday 16th June 1840 when the opening race, the Trial Stakes, was won by the Duke of Rutland's 4-year-old Flambeau (4/7 fav) ridden by Jem Robinson, beating Barabbas, Camelino and 3 others. Prestonjee Boinanjee (4/1) made the early running until half a mile from home, at which point Flambeau took over and went on to win unextended by an easy 2 lengths, making it back to back wins in 1841.
Trial Plate 1865 Group 1 New Mile
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 HEIR-IN-LAW F Adams 3-8st 2lbs Captain Gray 4/1 fav
2 AMBITION Elphick 2-5st 12lbs Mr Nightingall 7/1
3 BLACK PRINCE Huxtable 2-5st 12lb Captain White 100/8
4 LE PAPILLON Page 3-8st 7lbs Mr W Treen 25/1
5 CATINKA Curtis 2-5st 7lb Mr Sherring 25/1
6 VEDETTE filly F Martin 2-5st 12lbs Lord Stamford 25/1
7 THE PROCTOR Murray 2-5st 7lbs Mr E Brayley 25/1
8 THE OPPOSITION Scorey 2-5st 7lbs Mr Herbert 25/1
9 MERRY LASS Viney 2-5st 7lbs Mr J Saxon 25/1
10 ALLAN-A-DALE Tribe 2-5st 7lbs Mr Cameron 10/1
11 OSTREGER J Doyle 3-8st 3lbs Mr Jackson 10/1
12 SIGNALMAN Flemington 4-9st 9lbs Mr W Day 5/1
13 CATCH 'EM ALIVE Jem Goater 6-9st 9lbs Mr W Day 5/1
14 VIGILANT H Clark 3-8st 2lbs Mr T Golby 25/1
15 HALIFAX G Sopp 2-5st 8lbs Lord St Vincent 25/1
16 AMBER J Daley 3-8st 7lbs Baron Rothschild 25/1
17 SALADIN Parry 3-8st 7lbs Mr D Gardner 25/1
18 GRACE DARLING H Grimshaw 3-8st 7lbs Mr Gunnell 8/1
The Trail Plate, forerunner of the Queen Anne Stakes, over the New Mile, took place on Tuesday 13th June 1865 and the winner, a bay colt by Newminster out of a Hampton mare, won a first prize of 210 sovereigns from 22 subscribers (equivalent to £27,000 in 2020). Over round 141%
Queen Anne Stakes Group 1 1 mile 1840
1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849
1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859
1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865