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 1866 Group 1 New Mile
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 OUT AND OUTER Parry William Day 4-9st 9lbs Mr William Day 20/1
2 GILEAD Kenyon 2-5st 7lbs Lord Westmorland 4/1
3 MAGPIE Peake 2-6st 7lb Baron Rothschild 7/1
4 CRANMORE Dixon 3-8st 7lbs Mr Haig 12/1
5 THE SWIFT Challoner 4-9st 4lb Captain G Gray 25/1
6 MR PITT Cannon 3-9st 2lbs Duke of Beaufort 7/4 fav
7 VENGEANCE John Wells 3-8st 7lbs Lord Portsmouth 25/1
8 LAMBOURNE LASS Seaton J Saxon 2-5st 7lbs Mr J Saxon 25/1
9 GUERILLA brother Jem Goater 3-8st 7lbs Mr H Savile 25/1
10 BLACK DRAUGHT Thomas 4-9st 9lbs Mr R Sutton 25/1
11 ARCHIMEDES A Edwards 4-10st 4lbs Lord Stamford 25/1
12 PIANO Wyatt 2-5st 7lbs Mr R Ten Broeck 25/1
13 KINGMAKER Loates 2-5st 7lbs Mr York 8/1
14 CLODHOPPER Cameron 2-5st 12lbs Mr Nelson 25/1
15 PROMISED LAND colt Barker 2-5st 8lbs Mr Chaplin 25/1
The Trail Plate, forerunner of the Queen Anne Stakes, over the New Mile, took place on Tuesday 29th May 1866 and the winner, a bay colt by Stockwell out of Sortie, won a first prize of 185 sovereigns from 17 subscribers (equivalent to £22,000 in 2020). Over round 128%
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 1866