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 1871 Group 1 New Mile
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 SIR HUGO T French 3-8st 7lbs Mr J R Bruce 100/9
2 PRINCE HENRY George Fordham 5-9st 9lbs Mr T Lombard 7/4 fav
3 TABERNACLE Cannon 4-8st 9lb Lord Rivers 100/6
4 STEPPE Jeffery 3-8st 4lbs Mr H Chaplin 100/7
5 BLANDFORD Wyatt William Day 4-9st 9lb Mr William Day 25/1
6 MANILLE A Watkins 3-8st 7lbs Mr Halphin 6/1
7 BALQUHIDER Clement 3-8st 7lbs Mr J Harold 25/1
8 SWEET SOUND John Osborne 4-9st 6lbs Mr J Johnstone 25/1
9 RANTING TAM Hudson 3-8st 2lbs Mr J Johnstone 25/1
10 GUY DAYRELL Andrews Joe Cannon 4-9st 9lbs Captain Machell 25/1
11 MONTABART Morris 3-8st 7lbs Baron A Rothschild 25/1
12 COWBOY Skelton T Stevens 3-8st 2lbs Mr T Stevens 100/6
13 BETE ROUGE T Chalmers Osborne 3-8st 2lbs Mr W Osborne 25/1
14 BOREAL Carver Thomas Carter 3-8st 2lbs Mr H Delamarre 100/6
15 COMPETITOR Snowden 4-9st 9lbs Mr James Merry 25/1
The Trail Plate, forerunner of the Queen Anne Stakes, over the New Mile, took place on Tuesday 6th June 1871 and the winner, a chestnut colt by Newcastle out of Amorous, won a first prize of 285 sovereigns from 17 subscribers (equivalent to £34,000 in 2020). Over round 116%
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 1867 1868 1869
1870 1871